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Indiana County
Ohio County, Indiana
Rising Sun and Indiana's smallest county by population - from Rising Sun's Ohio River casino and scenic bluff setting (Rising Sun is home to the Ohio County Casino, which has become a significant economic driver for Indiana's smallest county, drawing visitors from across the tri-state region to the historic riverfront town) to Ohio County's dramatic Ohio River bluff terrain (the county's steep limestone bluffs along the Ohio River create some of southeast Indiana's most scenic river views, with the river forming the entire southern boundary of Indiana's most compact and least populous county).
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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: Ohio County Emergency Management – confirm current contact via ohiocountyin.gov.
Sheriff: Ohio County Sheriff’s Office – Rising Sun, IN. Confirm current phone via ohiocountyin.gov.
Notes: For an active emergency, call 911.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: SR-56 and SR-262 serve Rising Sun, the county seat and only incorporated town, on the Ohio River across from Boone County, Kentucky.
Notes: Ohio County is genuinely Indiana’s smallest county, both in land area (about 87 square miles) and population (roughly 5,940 as of 2020), created effective January 4, 1844 from Dearborn County to resolve a county-seat dispute between Rising Sun and Lawrenceburg – Rising Sun won out. It was named for the Ohio River, which forms its eastern border. Rising Sun was registered in 1816 by John James, originally of Frederick County, Maryland, and saw significant early German immigration.
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Ohio County Courthouse – Rising Sun, IN (built 1845, Greek Revival, two-story brick building roughly 60 by 40 feet including a portico with Doric pillars). This is genuinely the oldest continuously used courthouse in the state of Indiana.
Notes: The Rising Sun History Museum, housed in a 20,000-square-foot former 19th-century plow factory, displays the “Hoosier Boy,” a wooden powerboat built and raced by local furniture maker and inventor J.W. Whitlock, which set a speed record for a round trip between Cincinnati and Louisville in 1924 – a record that, according to local historians, can never be broken due to changed river conditions. Rising Sun’s history also includes documented ties to the Underground Railroad. The Southeastern Indiana Veterans Museum occupies a former 1916 Carnegie library at 100 N. High Street.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Ohio County Veterans Affairs / Southeastern Indiana Veterans Museum – 100 N. High Street, Rising Sun, IN | (513) 602-5595 (guided tours). Hours: Mon, Thu, Sat, 10 AM-2 PM.
Libraries
LIBRARIES
Ohio County Public Library (Rising Sun) – confirm current address/phone via the county library system.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: The Rising Sun History Museum (home of the “Hoosier Boy” powerboat), Riverfront Park, the Ohio County Courthouse (Indiana’s oldest continuously used), and the Southeastern Indiana Veterans Museum are the county’s premier heritage attractions.
Notes: The genuine, dual distinction of Ohio County as Indiana’s smallest county and home to the state’s oldest continuously used courthouse is among the standout local facts covered in this project.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
Appraisal/Parcel Search: Ohio County Assessor’s Office – confirm current contact via ohiocountyin.gov.
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Confirm current dedicated shelter contact via ohiocountyin.gov; Ohio County Sheriff’s Office for animal control arrangements.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Office: Ohio County Environmental Health – confirm current contact via ohiocountyin.gov.
NOTES: Ohio County is the fifty-ninth county completed in Indiana’s Round 3 v2 redo, under the A+ sourced standard established for this project. The genuine, dual distinction of Ohio County as Indiana’s smallest county and home to the state’s oldest continuously used courthouse is among the standout local facts covered 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 Ohio County
Ohio County is Indiana’s smallest county by population and one of the most compact by area – Rising Sun’s Ohio River casino, scenic bluff setting, and historic 19th-century architecture give this tiny county an outsized presence as a riverfront destination in southeast Indiana near the Kentucky border.
Rising Sun (the county seat, population ~2,300) is Ohio County’s only significant community, serving as governmental hub, commercial center, and tourism anchor for Indiana’s least populous county along the Ohio River.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Ohio County Assessor at 413 Main Street, Rising Sun, IN 47040, phone 812-438-2610. IN assessed at market value.
Courts & Legal
Ohio County Circuit Court at 413 Main Street, Rising Sun, IN 47040, phone 812-438-2610, 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)
413 Main St., Rising Sun, IN 47040
(812) 438-2610
ELECTIONS (County Clerk)
413 Main St., Rising Sun, IN 47040
(812) 438-2610
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Ohio County Circuit Court (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
The Rising Sun Historic District and the 1845 Ohio County Courthouse (oldest continuously used courthouse in Indiana) are significant local historical resources.
Local societies
No dedicated Ohio 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
Ohio County Circuit Court 413 Main Street, Rising Sun, IN 47040 (812) 438-2610
Ohio County was founded in 1844, named for the Ohio River. It’s Indiana’s smallest county by both area and population. Its seat and only incorporated municipality, Rising Sun, is home to the 1845 Ohio County Courthouse, the oldest courthouse in continuous use in the state of Indiana.
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 Ohio 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 Ohio 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
413 Main St., Rising Sun, IN 47040
(812) 438-3636
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
ELECTIONS (County Clerk)
413 Main St., Rising Sun, IN 47040
(812) 438-2610
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Ohio County Health Dept
(812) 438-2610
IN FSSA — Southeast Region
(800) 403-0864
IN Medicaid
(800) 403-0864
Rising Sun/Ohio County Library
(812) 438-2257
Dearborn County Hospital (Lawrenceburg)
dchospital.com
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Ohio County Health Department – confirm current contact via ohiocountyin.gov.
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Editorial Trust
5 official sources cited
Reviewed by CountyOffices Editorial Team
Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Rising Sun
Population: 5,700
Area: 87 sq mi (Indiana's smallest county by area)
