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Indiana County
Orange County, Indiana
French Lick Resort and Indiana hill country - from French Lick Resort (one of the Midwest's most celebrated historic resort destinations, French Lick's grand hotels have hosted presidents and celebrities since the early 1900s and today anchor a casino and spa resort complex that drives tourism across Orange County) to the county's scenic Crawford Upland terrain (Orange County's rugged hills, limestone caves, and forested hollows make it one of Indiana's most topographically distinctive counties, a stark contrast to the flat plains that dominate most of the state).
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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: Orange County Emergency Management – confirm current contact via orangecountyin.com.
Sheriff: Orange County Sheriff’s Office – Paoli, IN. Confirm current phone via orangecountyin.com.
Notes: For an active emergency, call 911.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: US-150 and SR-37/56 serve Paoli, the county seat, bordered by Hoosier National Forest.
Notes: Orange County was established effective February 1, 1816, formed from parts of Knox, Gibson, and Washington counties. The town of Orleans, founded March 1815 (before the county itself existed), is the county’s oldest town, named for General Andrew Jackson’s victory at New Orleans two months earlier.
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Orange County Courthouse – Paoli, IN, the third-oldest courthouse in Indiana still standing and in government use. Genuinely remarkable: it sits directly above a limestone cave system roughly 80 feet below, through which flows part of the Lost River and its tributaries, not yet fully mapped or understood; the site also serves as the ceremonial marker of the Second Meridian Initial Point.
Notes: Orange County is home to the historic French Lick Springs Resort and West Baden Springs Hotel, both built around genuine sulfur mineral springs that drew visitors for their believed healing properties starting in the early-to-mid 1800s (Dr. William A. Bowles established the first health resort at French Lick around 1845). The West Baden Springs Hotel, rebuilt in 1902 after an 1901 fire, featured one of the widest unsupported domes in the world at the time – 208 feet in diameter – earning it the nickname “the eighth wonder of the world.” The Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus was headquartered in French Lick from 1913 to 1929. Larry Bird, the Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers basketball legend, was born in French Lick and graduated from nearby Springs Valley High School in 1974. The French Lick West Baden Museum houses what’s considered the world’s largest circus diorama by piece count (over 500,000 pieces), created by artist Peter Gorman.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Orange County Veterans Affairs – confirm current contact via orangecountyin.com.
Libraries
LIBRARIES
Orange County Public Library (Paoli) – confirm current address/phone via the county library system.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: The West Baden Springs Hotel (National Historic Landmark), French Lick Springs Resort, the French Lick Scenic Railway (with a holiday Polar Express experience), the French Lick West Baden Museum, the Orange County Historical Museum, and the caves beneath the Orange County Courthouse are the county’s premier heritage and recreational attractions.
Notes: The genuine, world-famous West Baden Springs Hotel dome – once called “the eighth wonder of the world” – and Larry Bird’s French Lick roots are among the standout local cultural facts covered anywhere in this project.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
Appraisal/Parcel Search: Orange County Assessor’s Office – confirm current contact via orangecountyin.com.
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Confirm current dedicated shelter contact via orangecountyin.com; Orange County Sheriff’s Office for animal control arrangements.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Office: Orange County Environmental Health – confirm current contact via orangecountyin.com.
NOTES: Orange County is the sixtieth county completed in Indiana’s Round 3 v2 redo, under the A+ sourced standard established for this project. The genuine, world-famous West Baden Springs Hotel dome and Larry Bird’s French Lick roots are 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 Orange County
Orange County is south-central Indiana’s French Lick resort and hill country county – the historic French Lick and West Baden Springs resorts anchor a tourism economy while the county’s rugged Crawford Upland terrain supports timber, some agriculture, and a rural character distinct from Indiana’s agricultural flatlands.
Paoli (the county seat, population ~3,600) is Orange County’s governmental and commercial hub, serving county residents in the scenic hill country of south-central Indiana.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Orange County Assessor at 205 E. Main Street, Paoli, IN 47454, phone 812-723-3941. IN assessed at market value.
Courts & Legal
Orange County Circuit Court at 205 E. Main Street, Paoli, IN 47454, phone 812-723-3600, 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)
1 Courthouse Square, Paoli, IN 47454
(812) 723-2649
ELECTIONS (County Clerk)
1 Courthouse Square, Paoli, IN 47454
(812) 723-2649
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Orange County Circuit Court (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
The historic French Lick Springs Hotel and West Baden Springs Hotel are major regional historical resources tied to the county’s resort era.
Local societies
No dedicated Orange 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
Orange County Circuit Court 1 Court Street, Paoli, IN 47454 (812) 723-2411
Orange County is known for its mineral springs resorts, including the historic French Lick and West Baden Springs. The 1847-1850 Orange County Courthouse (Greek Revival) is one of the two oldest continuously-used courthouses in 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 Orange 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 Orange 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
1 Courthouse Square, Paoli, IN 47454
(812) 723-3637
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
ELECTIONS (County Clerk)
1 Courthouse Square, Paoli, IN 47454
(812) 723-2649
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Office: Orange County Health Department – confirm current contact via orangecountyin.com.
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Editorial Trust
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Reviewed by CountyOffices Editorial Team
Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Paoli
Population: 19,000
Area: 400 sq mi
Established: 1816
Tier: 3
Public Records
TruthFinder
Search public records for Orange County residents.
