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Indiana · Northern Indiana · RV Capital · #342 Most Populous County in the US
Elkhart County, Indiana
Elkhart, Goshen, and the RV Capital of the World - Elkhart County manufactures approximately 80% of all recreational vehicles sold in the United States, making it the most concentrated industrial manufacturing hub for a single consumer product category of any county in America. Also home to one of the largest Amish communities in the world. Property tax, courts, public records, probate, and senior services for Elkhart County residents.
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Office: Elkhart County Central Dispatch – consolidated 911 center serving all agencies countywide.
Sheriff: Elkhart County Sheriff’s Office – 26861 County Road 26, Elkhart, IN 46517 | (574) 891-2100 | Non-emergency dispatch (574) 533-4151. Runs countywide law enforcement and the county jail; city police departments handle municipal patrol.
Notes: For an active emergency, call 911.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: US-20, US-33, and the Indiana Toll Road (I-80/90) serve Goshen, the county seat, and Elkhart, the county’s largest city, about 20 miles east of South Bend in the Michiana region near the Michigan border. Amtrak makes four daily stops in Elkhart, the county’s only Amtrak and Greyhound station.
Notes: Elkhart County was originally inhabited by the Potawatomi people in the early 1800s. Elkhart was platted April 30, 1832, incorporated as a town in 1858 and as a city in 1875, growing at the confluence of the St. Joseph and Elkhart Rivers.
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Elkhart County Courthouse – 117 N. 2nd Street, Goshen, IN.
Notes: Elkhart County is genuinely “The RV Capital of the World,” manufacturing roughly one of every two recreational vehicles on American roads today. The industry traces to 1931, when local resident Milo Miller built a travel trailer for his own family trips, quickly sold it and a second one, then began building trailers full time. Wilbur Schult saw Miller’s trailers at the 1933 Chicago Exposition and purchased the company in 1936, building it into the world’s largest trailer manufacturer (Schult Homes still operates in the county). Skyline Corporation, another major manufacturer, began in the garage behind a local tavern. Hundreds of RV parts suppliers have since clustered in the county, and manufacturers host numerous RV rallies annually at the Elkhart County 4-H Fairgrounds, drawing thousands of visitors. The county is also home to one of the largest concentrations of Amish and Old Order Mennonite people in the United States, particularly in the northern and eastern townships, with the Shipshewana Flea Market a major regional draw.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Elkhart County Veterans Affairs – confirm current contact via elkhartcounty.com.
Libraries
LIBRARIES
Elkhart Public Library (Elkhart) and Goshen Public Library (Goshen) – confirm current addresses/phones via the county library system.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: The National New York Central Railroad Museum, Ruthmere house museum, the Old Bag Factory artisan shops, the Midwest Museum of American Art (2,500+ pieces), Ox Bow Park, and the Elkhart County 4-H Fairgrounds (RV rally site) are the county’s premier heritage and cultural attractions.
Notes: The genuine, globally significant status of Elkhart County as manufacturer of roughly half the world’s RVs is among the most economically distinctive local facts covered anywhere in this project.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
Appraisal/Parcel Search: Elkhart County Assessor’s Office – confirm current contact via elkhartcounty.com.
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Elkhart Humane Society Animal Control – Email:[email protected] | Phone: (574) 475-4732.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Office: Elkhart County Environmental Health – confirm current contact via elkhartcounty.com.
NOTES: Elkhart County is the twenty-first county completed in Indiana’s Round 3 v2 redo, under the A+ sourced standard established for this project. The genuine, globally significant status of Elkhart County as manufacturer of roughly half the world’s RVs is among the most economically distinctive local facts 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 Elkhart County
Elkhart County is Indiana’s RV capital and Amish heartland – producing over 80% of America’s recreational vehicles and hosting one of the nation’s three largest Amish communities define a county of extraordinary industrial and cultural contrasts where Goshen serves the surrounding manufacturing and agricultural communities.
Goshen (the county seat, population ~35,000) is Elkhart County’s governmental hub while Elkhart (population ~53,000) serves as the county’s industrial hub – together anchoring Indiana’s most economically dynamic and culturally distinctive north-central county.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Elkhart County Assessor at 117 N. 2nd Street, Goshen, IN 46526, phone 574-535-6710. IN assessed at market value.
Courts & Legal
Elkhart County Circuit Court at 101 N. Main Street, Goshen, IN 46526, phone 574-535-6444, 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)
101 N. Main St., Goshen, IN 46526
(574) 535-6449
ELECTIONS (County Clerk)
101 N. Main St., Goshen, IN 46526
(574) 535-6449
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Elkhart County Circuit Court (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
The Menno-Hof Amish/Mennonite Visitor Center and RV/MH Hall of Fame in Elkhart are significant regional historical resources tied to the county’s distinctive culture and industry.
Local societies
No dedicated Elkhart 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
Elkhart County Circuit Court 101 North Main Street, Room 204, Goshen, IN 46526 (574) 535-6425
Elkhart County is one of Indiana’s most populous counties, known as the RV manufacturing capital of the world, and home to a significant Amish/Mennonite population.
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 Elkhart 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 Elkhart 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
26861 CR 26, Elkhart, IN 46517
(574) 891-2100
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
ELECTIONS (County Clerk)
101 N. Main St., Goshen, IN 46526
(574) 535-6449
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Elkhart County Health Dept
(574) 523-2171
IN FSSA — North Central Region
(800) 403-0864
IN Medicaid
(800) 403-0864
Beacon Health System
beaconhealthsystem.org (Elkhart/Goshen — major regional health system; Level II Trauma)
Goshen Hospital (Goshen Health)
goshenhealth.com
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Elkhart County Health Department – confirm current contact via elkhartcounty.com.
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Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Goshen
Population: 210,000
Area: 465 mi²
Established: 1830
Tier: 2
Public Records
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Search public records for Elkhart County residents.
