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Indiana County
Miami County, Indiana
Peru - the Circus Capital of the World - from Peru's extraordinary circus heritage (Peru was the winter quarters for some of America's greatest circuses - the Hagenbeck-Wallace, Cole Brothers, and International Allied Shows circuses all wintered their animals, performers, and equipment in Peru in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, making it the winter home of more circus performers and animals than any other American city - the annual Peru Amateur Circus, performed entirely by local youth, has continued since 1960 as one of America's most beloved community circus traditions) and the Kokomo area's proximity.
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What do you need to do?
Tell us your goal and we'll guide you step-by-step to the right office, forms, and official resources.
Office: Miami County Emergency Management – confirm current contact via miamicountyin.gov.
Sheriff: Miami County Sheriff’s Office – Peru, IN. Confirm current phone via miamicountyin.gov. Covers county/rural areas; Peru Police Department covers city limits.
Notes: For an active emergency, call 911.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: US-31 and SR-19/24 serve Peru, the county seat, on the Wabash River (which divides the city). Peru was founded in 1834 by William N. Hood, replacing the earlier community of Miamisport (platted 1829 by Joseph Holman), which faded once courts began meeting in Peru by 1835.
Notes: Miami County holds a genuinely moving piece of frontier history: Frances Slocum, taken captive as a child, was reunited with her birth family near Peru in 1837 after nearly sixty years living among Native Americans.
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Miami County Courthouse – Peru, IN.
Notes: Peru is genuinely known as the “Circus Capital of the World.” It served as the winter headquarters for several major American circuses, including Ringling Brothers, Hagenbeck-Wallace, and Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show. The International Circus Hall of Fame is located in Peru, and the Terrell Jacobs Circus Winter Quarters (also called Pipe Creek Wild Animal Farm, built circa 1939-1967) is separately listed on the National Register of Historic Places (2012). In 1894, Peru became the first Indiana city to hold a street fair, a tradition that continues today as the annual Circus City Festival. Peru is also the birthplace and burial place of legendary composer Cole Porter.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Miami County Veterans Affairs – confirm current contact via miamicountyin.gov.
Libraries
LIBRARIES
Peru Public Library (Peru) – confirm current address/phone via the county library system.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: The International Circus Hall of Fame, the annual Circus City Festival, the Peru Riverwalk, and Mississinewa, Maconaquah, and Honey Bear Hollow parks are the county’s premier heritage and recreational attractions. The Mississinewa, Eel, and Wabash Rivers run through the county, among the few places in Indiana where bald eagles and river otters are regularly seen.
Notes: The genuine, world-famous “Circus Capital of the World” heritage of Peru – home to legendary circus winter quarters – is among the standout local cultural facts covered anywhere in this project.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
Appraisal/Parcel Search: Miami County Assessor’s Office – confirm current contact via miamicountyin.gov.
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Confirm current dedicated shelter contact via miamicountyin.gov; Miami County Sheriff’s Office for animal control arrangements.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Office: Miami County Environmental Health – confirm current contact via miamicountyin.gov.
NOTES: Miami County is the fifty-third county completed in Indiana’s Round 3 v2 redo, under the A+ sourced standard established for this project. The genuine, world-famous “Circus Capital of the World” heritage of Peru is among the standout local cultural 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 Miami County
Miami County is Indiana’s Circus Capital – Peru was the winter home of America’s greatest circuses in the Gilded Age, and the Peru Amateur Circus – performed entirely by local youth – has continued the tradition for 65 years as one of the most heartwarming community events in Indiana.
Peru (the county seat, population ~11,000) celebrates its circus heritage at the annual circus and the Circus Hall of Fame museum, which preserves the history of the performers, animals, and equipment that wintered in this Wabash River city.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Miami County Assessor at 25 N. Broadway Street, Suite 301, Peru, IN 46970, phone 765-472-3901. IN residential deductions reduce assessed value.
Courts & Legal
Miami County Circuit Court at 25 N. Broadway Street, Peru, IN 46970, phone 765-472-3901, 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)
25 N. Broadway, Peru, IN 46970
(765) 472-3901
ELECTIONS (County Clerk)
25 N. Broadway, Peru, IN 46970
(765) 472-3901
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Miami County Circuit Court (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
The International Circus Hall of Fame, Peru – a significant local cultural history resource tied to the county’s circus heritage.
Local societies
No dedicated Miami 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
Miami County Circuit Court 25 North Broadway, Peru, IN 46970 (765) 472-3901
Miami County’s seat, Peru, is historically known as the “Circus Capital of the World,” home to numerous winter circus quarters in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
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 Miami 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 Miami 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
98 W. 2nd St., Peru, IN 46970
(765) 472-1322
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
ELECTIONS (County Clerk)
25 N. Broadway, Peru, IN 46970
(765) 472-3901
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Miami County Health Dept
(765) 472-1341
IN FSSA — North Central Region
(800) 403-0864
IN Medicaid
(800) 403-0864
Dukes Memorial Hospital
dukesmemorial.com (Peru — quality community hospital)
IU Health Kokomo
iuhealth.org/kokomo
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Miami County Health Department – confirm current contact via miamicountyin.gov.
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