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Indiana County
Decatur County, Indiana
Greensburg's tree-topped courthouse tower and Honda of Indiana - from the Greensburg Courthouse Tower Tree (a large tree - believed to be a huckleberry or black gum - grows from a crack in the tower of the Decatur County Courthouse, and has been growing there for over 150 years, defying botanical explanation and becoming one of Indiana's most famous natural curiosities) to the Honda of Indiana manufacturing plant (the Honda automobile assembly facility in Greensburg - producing Honda Civic and Honda CR-V vehicles - is one of the most significant manufacturing employers in east-central Indiana, drawing Honda's investment to a small county seat community).
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Office: Decatur County Emergency Management – 150 Courthouse Square, Greensburg, IN 47240.
Sheriff: Decatur County Sheriff’s Office – 150 Courthouse Square, Greensburg, IN 47240. Confirm current phone via decaturcounty.in.gov.
Notes: For an active emergency, call 911.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: I-74, US-421, and SR-46 serve Greensburg, the county seat, about 50 miles southeast of Indianapolis.
Notes: Decatur County was organized in 1822, with Greensburg founded the same year. Courts initially met at the house of Thomas Hendricks until 1825.
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Decatur County Courthouse – Courthouse Square, Greensburg, IN (built 1854-1860, Gothic-influenced Romanesque, called “the finest specimen of Gothic Architecture” he’d seen by William Jennings Bryan; National Register of Historic Places since 1973; part of the Greensburg Downtown Historic District).
Notes: Decatur County holds one of America’s most genuinely famous roadside oddities: the “World Famous Tower Tree,” a tree that has grown from the clock tower of the county courthouse, 110-115 feet above ground, continuously since the early 1870s. First noticed as a small sprig, then joined by additional sprouts, the tree (long identified as a large-tooth aspen, though a more recent Purdue University study suggested Mulberry) has been featured internationally, including on the classic “Ripley’s Believe It or Not.” Individual trees have died and been replaced by new sprouts across more than 150 years, and how the original seeds reached the tower remains an unsolved local mystery. A 3-year restoration plan was implemented in recent years to keep the tree healthy. Interstate 74 now carries “World Famous Tower Tree” billboards directing travelers to the Greensburg exit. The courthouse square also carries a historical marker honoring Carl Fisher, the Indianapolis 500 founder, along with Underground Railroad markers documenting the 1847 escape of a woman named Caroline near Kingston.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Decatur County Veterans’ Services – 150 Courthouse Square, Greensburg, IN 47240.
Libraries
LIBRARIES
Greensburg-Decatur County Public Library (Greensburg) – confirm current address/phone via the county library system.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: The “World Famous Tower Tree” atop the Decatur County Courthouse is the county’s single most distinctive attraction, drawing curious visitors daily to Courthouse Square.
Notes: The genuine, internationally famous Tower Tree – a naturally occurring, unexplained arboreal oddity spanning over 150 years – is among the most unusual local landmarks covered anywhere in this project.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
Appraisal/Parcel Search: Decatur County Assessor’s Office – 150 Courthouse Square, Greensburg, IN 47240.
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Greensburg-Decatur County Animal Shelter – 1635 W. Park Road, Greensburg, IN | Hours: Tue-Fri 12-4 PM, Sat 11 AM-2 PM | Phone (812) 663-9081 | After-Hours/Emergency (812) 663-3131 | Email: [email protected]. Provides adoption, lost-pet reunification, low-cost spay/neuter (with Brownsburg Low Cost Spay/Neuter Clinic), free vaccinations for county residents, and TNR assistance for feral cats.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Office: Decatur County Soil & Water Conservation District – 150 Courthouse Square, Greensburg, IN 47240.
NOTES: Decatur County is the sixteenth county completed in Indiana’s Round 3 v2 redo, under the A+ sourced standard established for this project. The genuine, internationally famous Tower Tree atop the county courthouse is among the most unusual local landmarks covered anywhere in this project. 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 Decatur County
Decatur County is Indiana’s tree-topped courthouse and Honda manufacturing county – a tree growing inexplicably from a courthouse tower crack for 150+ years and a major Honda assembly plant make Greensburg one of Indiana’s most surprisingly distinctive small cities.
Greensburg (the county seat, population ~11,500) balances its quirky natural curiosity heritage with the modern manufacturing economy that Honda’s investment has created.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Decatur County Assessor at 150 Courthouse Square, Suite 101, Greensburg, IN 47240, phone 812-663-4868. IN residential deductions reduce assessed value.
Courts & Legal
Decatur County Circuit Court at 150 Courthouse Square, Greensburg, IN 47240, phone 812-663-8223, 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)
150 Courthouse Square, Greensburg, IN 47240
(812) 663-8223
ELECTIONS (County Clerk)
150 Courthouse Square, Greensburg, IN 47240
(812) 663-8223
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Decatur County Circuit Court (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
The famous “Tree That Owns Itself” atop the 1859 Decatur County Courthouse tower is a well-known local landmark.
Local societies
No dedicated Decatur 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
Decatur County Circuit Court 150 Courthouse Square, Suite 6 (Clerk’s Office: Suite 244), Greensburg, IN 47240 (812) 663-8455 Decatur County’s seat, Greensburg, is famous for a tree growing out of its 1859 courthouse tower.
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 Decatur 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 Decatur 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
399 N. Broadway St., Greensburg, IN 47240
(812) 663-3221
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
ELECTIONS (County Clerk)
150 Courthouse Square, Greensburg, IN 47240
(812) 663-8223
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Decatur County Health Dept
(812) 663-8840
IN FSSA — Southeast Region
(800) 403-0864
IN Medicaid
(800) 403-0864
Decatur County Memorial Hospital
dcmh.net (Greensburg — quality regional hospital)
Columbus Regional Hospital
crh.org (Columbus)
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Decatur County Health Department – confirm current contact via decaturcounty.in.gov.
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Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Greensburg
Population: 26,000
Area: 373 sq mi
Established: 1822
Tier: 3
Public Records
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Search public records for Decatur County residents.
