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Indiana County
Daviess County, Indiana
Daviess County's Amish community and the turkey processing capital - from Daviess County's significant Old Order Amish settlement (one of Indiana's largest Amish communities is centered in Daviess County - the Plain community's farms, produce stands, and distinctive lifestyle contribute significantly to the county's agricultural economy and cultural character) to Washington's Daviess County Turkey Festival (the annual celebration of Daviess County's significant turkey processing industry - the county's poultry operations and the Butterball processing facility make it one of Indiana's most significant turkey producing regions).
Affiliate disclosure: This page contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you use them, at no extra cost to you. Our editorial recommendations are independent of these relationships.
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Tell us your goal and we'll guide you step-by-step to the right office, forms, and official resources.
Office: Daviess County Emergency Management – confirm current contact via daviess.org.
Sheriff: Daviess County Sheriff’s Office – Washington, IN. Confirm current phone via daviess.org.
Notes: For an active emergency, call 911.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: US-50 and US-231 serve Washington, the county seat, about 60 miles north of Evansville.
Notes: Daviess County was organized February 2, 1818, from parent county Knox, named for Major Joseph Hamilton Daviess (spelled Daveiss in some records), a U.S. District Attorney for Kentucky killed at the Battle of Tippecanoe in 1811. David Flora established an early trading post at what became Washington by 1803; the town was established in 1816.
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Daviess County Courthouse – 200 E. Walnut Street, Washington, IN (built 1927-1928, Classical Revival, architects Byron Sutton and Lester W. Routt, brick with Bedford limestone trim; National Register of Historic Places since 2008).
Notes: Daviess County is home to Indiana’s fourth-largest and the nation’s seventh-largest Amish community, roughly 15% of the county’s population (about 4,855 people as of 2017), settled since 1868 mainly in the eastern part of the county near Alfordsville, Cannelburg, Montgomery, and Odon. The community is known locally for its unusual rectangular buggy windows. Gasthof Amish Village offers a restaurant, hotel, and shops centered on this heritage. The county was also home to two Medal of Honor recipients: Pvt. Richard Taylor (Civil War, Battle of Cedar Creek) and Lt. Col. Don Carlos Faith Jr. (Korean War, Chosin Reservoir).
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Daviess County Veterans Affairs – confirm current contact via daviess.org.
Libraries
LIBRARIES
Washington Carnegie Public Library – 300 W. Main Street, Washington, IN 47501 | (812) 254-4586.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Gasthof Amish Village and the Daviess County Amish community (eastern county near Alfordsville, Cannelburg, Montgomery, Odon) are the county’s premier cultural attractions.
Notes: The genuine, substantial Amish community – Indiana’s fourth-largest, the nation’s seventh-largest – is among the standout local cultural facts covered in this project.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
Appraisal/Parcel Search: Daviess County Assessor’s Office – confirm current contact via daviess.org.
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
⚠️ No confirmed dedicated Daviess County animal shelter was found in current sourcing. Residents should contact the Daviess County Sheriff’s Office, (812) 254-1060, for current animal control arrangements.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Office: Daviess County Environmental Health – confirm current contact via daviess.org.
NOTES: Daviess County is the fourteenth county completed in Indiana’s Round 3 v2 redo, under the A+ sourced standard established for this project. The genuine, substantial Amish community is among the standout local cultural facts covered in this project. ⚠️ Animal services could not be confirmed and are flagged for follow-up rather than smoothed over. All contact information above was sourced via web search as of early August 2026 and should be reconfirmed directly with the relevant office before a visit, deadline-sensitive filing, or emergency-adjacent decision.
About Daviess County
Daviess County is southwest Indiana’s Amish community and turkey capital – one of Indiana’s largest Amish settlements and significant turkey processing operations define a southwest Indiana agricultural community with deep traditional roots.
Washington (the county seat, population ~11,000) is the commercial hub for southwest Indiana’s Amish and agricultural communities – the county seat’s hospital, retail, and services draw from a broad surrounding rural region.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Daviess County Assessor at 200 E. Walnut Street, Suite 10, Washington, IN 47501, phone 812-254-8580. IN residential deductions reduce assessed value.
Courts & Legal
Daviess County Circuit Court at 200 E. Walnut Street, Washington, IN 47501, phone 812-254-8664, handles probate.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
CLERK OF CIRCUIT COURT (Court Records, Marriage Licenses)
200 E. Main St., Washington, IN 47501
(812) 254-8664
ELECTIONS (County Clerk)
200 E. Main St., Washington, IN 47501
(812) 254-8664
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Daviess County Circuit Court (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
Local societies
No dedicated Daviess County genealogical society was confirmed in available directories.
Probate & Estate
Losing someone and having to deal with courts and paperwork at the same time is hard. This section won’t make that easier, but it should tell you what to expect, what it costs, and where to go – so at least you’re not walking in blind.
Where to go
Daviess County Circuit Court 200 East Walnut Street, Washington, IN 47501 (812) 254-8670
Daviess County has one of Indiana’s largest Amish communities. The 1927-1928 Daviess County Courthouse (Classical Revival, National Register of Historic Places) is built of brick with Bedford limestone.
Step 1: figure out which path applies
Indiana has NOT adopted the Uniform Probate Code – probate is governed by Indiana Code Title 29. Indiana offers several tracks depending on estate size and complexity:
Small Estate Affidavit – for estates where the gross probate estate (less liens, encumbrances, and funeral expenses) is $100,000 or less. Available 45 days after death. The affidavit must be signed and recorded with the county recorder’s office before a personal representative is appointed. No court filing is required.
Devolution of Real Estate Affidavit – a separate affidavit specifically for transferring real property, available 7 months after death, with no value limit on the real estate, recorded with the county recorder.
Unsupervised Administration – a simplified probate track available when the estate is solvent and all inheritors agree; fewer court appearances and filings than supervised administration.
Supervised Administration – full court oversight, used for contested, complex, or insolvent estates.
Step 2: filing for formal probate
File a Petition for Probate of Will and for Issuance of Letters (if there’s a will) or a Petition for Appointment of Personal Representative (if intestate) with the Daviess County Circuit Court.
The court reviews the will for compliance with Indiana Code § 29-1-5-3 (in writing, signed by the testator, witnessed by at least 2 credible witnesses).
The court issues Letters Testamentary (with a will) or Letters of Administration (intestate) appointing the personal representative.
Publish notice to creditors; creditors generally have a limited window (commonly 3 months from first publication) to file claims.
The personal representative marshals assets, pays valid debts and expenses, and distributes the estate.
File a closing statement or final accounting to formally close the estate.
What it costs
Indiana does not have a state estate or inheritance tax.
Filing fees vary by county – confirm current amounts with the Daviess County Circuit Court.
Indiana has no statutory fee schedule for attorneys or personal representatives – fees must be “reasonable” and are subject to court approval.
Typical timelines: Small Estate Affidavit – a minimum 45-day wait; Unsupervised Administration – roughly 6-9 months if uncontested; Supervised Administration – 9-12+ months.
Probate filings, estate administration, and guardianship matters are handled by the following office(s):
Public Safety & Arrests
Arrest records, inmate search, and law enforcement services are handled by the following office(s):
SHERIFF
1 Courthouse Square, Washington, IN 47501
(812) 254-1080
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
ELECTIONS (County Clerk)
200 E. Main St., Washington, IN 47501
(812) 254-8664
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Office: Daviess County Health Department – 303 E. Hefron Street, Washington, IN 47501 | (812) 254-8666 | Email: [email protected].
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Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Washington
Population: 33,000
Area: 430 sq mi
Established: 1817
Tier: 3
Public Records
TruthFinder
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