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Indiana County
Lawrence County, Indiana
Bedford - the Limestone Capital of the World - from Bedford's Indiana limestone heritage (the Salem limestone quarried from Lawrence County's bedrock has built America's most iconic structures - the Empire State Building, the Pentagon, the National Cathedral, Yankee Stadium, and the Indiana University campus are all constructed from Bedford's distinctive cream-colored limestone - the quarries and mills of Lawrence County supplied the building material that defined American institutional architecture for over a century) to Spring Mill State Park (the restored 1817 pioneer village and grist mill in Lawrence County is one of Indiana's finest state parks, preserving the physical world of early Indiana settlement).
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Office: Lawrence County Emergency Management – confirm current contact via lawrencecounty.in.gov.
Sheriff: Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office – 1420 I Street, Bedford, IN 47421 | (812) 275-3316 | Fax (812) 277-2007 | Tipline (812) 277-2020.
Notes: For an active emergency, call 911.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: US-50 and SR-37/159 serve Bedford, the county seat, about 70 miles from both Indianapolis and Louisville, and 18 miles south of Bloomington.
Notes: Lawrence County was organized in 1818, named for naval officer Captain James Lawrence, who coined the phrase “Don’t Give Up the Ship.” Coincidentally, the county later became home to Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division, the third-largest naval base in the world by area.
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Lawrence County Courthouse – 916 15th Street, Bedford, IN, built of local limestone; part of the Bedford Courthouse Square Historic District (state historical marker since 1998).
Notes: Bedford is genuinely known worldwide as the “Limestone Capital of the World.” The area’s Salem Limestone – nearly 97% pure calcium carbonate, formed from an ancient inland sea during the Mississippian period – is uniquely durable yet easy to carve, drawing master stone carvers and European immigrants in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The Blue Hole Quarry near Mitchell, opened in 1830 by Dr. Winthrop Foote (called the “father of the limestone industry”), was the first in the state. Lawrence County limestone has been used in the Empire State Building, the Pentagon, the National Archives, the Lincoln Memorial, 27 U.S. state capitols, Chicago’s Tribune Tower, the new Yankee Stadium, the Biltmore Hotel, and continues to be sought by universities including Harvard, Yale, and Indiana University. Bedford celebrates this heritage each July 4th with the Limestone Heritage Festival. The former Lawrence County Jail and Sheriff’s Residence (built 1904, local limestone) now operates as a bed and breakfast in downtown Bedford. Three astronauts have hailed from Lawrence County, including Kenneth Bowersox (raised in Bedford, five Space Shuttle missions and an extended ISS stay) and Charlie Walker (born and raised in Oolitic, three-time Space Shuttle payload specialist); Bedford’s municipal airport is named for astronaut Virgil “Gus” Grissom.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Lawrence County Veterans Affairs – confirm current contact via lawrencecounty.in.gov.
Libraries
LIBRARIES
Bedford Public Library (Bedford) – confirm current address/phone via the county library system.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: The Indiana Limestone Trail, Bluespring Caverns, the former Lawrence County Jail B&B, and the Bedford Courthouse Square Historic District are the county’s premier heritage and recreational attractions.
Notes: The genuine, globally significant “Limestone Capital of the World” heritage – limestone from Lawrence County appears in some of America’s most iconic buildings – is among the standout local industrial histories covered anywhere in this project.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
Appraisal/Parcel Search: Lawrence County Assessor’s Office – confirm current contact via lawrencecounty.in.gov.
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Confirm current dedicated shelter contact via lawrencecounty.in.gov; Lawrence County has a published Animal Control Ordinance – contact the Sheriff’s Office, (812) 275-3316, for arrangements.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Office: Lawrence County Environmental Health – confirm current contact via lawrencecounty.in.gov.
NOTES: Lawrence County is the forty-eighth county completed in Indiana’s Round 3 v2 redo, under the A+ sourced standard established for this project. The genuine, globally significant “Limestone Capital of the World” heritage is among the standout local industrial histories 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 Lawrence County
Lawrence County is the Limestone Capital of the World – the Salem limestone quarried beneath Bedford built the Empire State Building, the Pentagon, the National Cathedral, and dozens of America’s most iconic structures, making it one of the most architecturally consequential counties in American history.
Bedford (the county seat, population ~13,000) celebrates its limestone heritage at the Stone City Festival and in the limestone sculptures displayed throughout the community.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Lawrence County Assessor at 916 15th Street, Suite 4, Bedford, IN 47421, phone 812-275-3315. IN residential deductions reduce assessed value.
Courts & Legal
Lawrence County Circuit Court at 916 15th Street, Bedford, IN 47421, phone 812-275-7543, 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)
916 15th St., Bedford, IN 47421
(812) 275-7543
ELECTIONS (County Clerk)
916 15th St., Bedford, IN 47421
(812) 275-7543
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Lawrence County Circuit Court (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
The county’s limestone-quarrying heritage, including quarries that supplied stone for the Empire State Building and Pentagon, is a significant local industrial history topic.
Local societies
No dedicated Lawrence 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
Lawrence County Circuit Court 916 15th Street, Bedford, IN 47421 (812) 275-2421
Lawrence County, seated in Bedford, is known as the “Limestone Capital of the World” – Indiana limestone from this region built the Empire State Building and the Pentagon.
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 Lawrence 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 Lawrence 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
201 W. I St., Bedford, IN 47421
(812) 275-3316
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
ELECTIONS (County Clerk)
916 15th St., Bedford, IN 47421
(812) 275-7543
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Office: Lawrence County Health Department – confirm current contact via lawrencecounty.in.gov.
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Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Bedford
Population: 45,000
Area: 453 sq mi
Established: 1818
Tier: 3
Public Records
TruthFinder
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