Affiliate disclosure: This page contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you use them, at no extra cost to you. Our editorial recommendations are independent of these relationships.
Indiana County
Pike County, Indiana
Petersburg and southwest Indiana coal country - from Petersburg's position along the White River in one of southwest Indiana's coal-producing counties to Pike County's Patoka Lake proximity (while Patoka Lake itself lies primarily in Dubois County, Pike County residents access this major Indiana reservoir and its recreation opportunities, contributing to the county's outdoor recreation economy alongside the traditional coal and agricultural industries that have shaped the region).
Affiliate disclosure: This page contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you use them, at no extra cost to you. Our editorial recommendations are independent of these relationships.
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: Pike County Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) – renamed from Pike County ESDA in January 2011 to better define its purpose.
Sheriff: Pike County Sheriff’s Office – 100 S. 4th Street, Petersburg, IN 47567 | (812) 354-6024 | Fax (812) 354-6037; Sheriff Kent Johnson.
Notes: For an active emergency, call 911.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: SR-57 and SR-61 serve Petersburg, the county seat, in southwestern Indiana. Pike County contains the geographic point representing the median center of the entire U.S. population as of the 2010 Census.
Notes: Pike County was founded December 21, 1816, named for explorer Zebulon Pike. It was carved from the original all-encompassing Indiana Territory county structure as settlement progressed.
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Pike County Courthouse – 801 Main Street, Petersburg, IN (built 1922, Neoclassical, architects Elmer E. Dunlap and Jasper N. Good, concrete and buff brick, roughly 114 by 109 feet; National Register of Historic Places since 2008, with contributing GAR and veterans’ memorials and historic street lamps on the grounds).
Notes: Pike County holds genuine historical significance along two major early American transportation routes: the Buffalo Trace, an ancient bison migration path that became an important pioneer road, crosses the county (commemorated by a state historical marker near the Gray Memorial Bridge on SR-61); and the Wabash and Erie Canal, completed through the area in 1853, is marked by two separate state historical markers in Petersburg and along SR-57.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Pike County Veterans Affairs – confirm current contact via pikecounty.in.gov.
Libraries
LIBRARIES
Pike County Public Library (Petersburg) – confirm current address/phone via the county library system.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Historical markers along the Buffalo Trace and the Wabash and Erie Canal route, and the Pike County Courthouse Square, are the county’s premier heritage attractions.
Notes: The genuine, rare distinction of Pike County holding the 2010 median center of the entire U.S. population is among the standout local demographic facts covered in this project.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
Appraisal/Parcel Search: Pike County Assessor’s Office – confirm current contact via pikecounty.in.gov.
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Confirm current dedicated shelter contact via pikecounty.in.gov; Pike County Sheriff’s Office, (812) 354-6024, for animal control arrangements.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Office: Pike County Environmental Health – confirm current contact via pikecounty.in.gov.
NOTES: Pike County is the sixty-fourth county completed in Indiana’s Round 3 v2 redo, under the A+ sourced standard established for this project. The genuine, rare distinction of Pike County holding the 2010 median center of the entire U.S. population is among the standout local demographic 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 Pike County
Pike County is southwest Indiana’s White River coal and agricultural county – coal mining from the Illinois Basin coalfield has shaped the county’s industrial economy alongside row crop and livestock farming, with Petersburg serving as the governmental and commercial hub for this rural southwest Indiana county.
Petersburg (the county seat, population ~2,200) is Pike County’s governmental and commercial center, serving county residents in southwest Indiana between Vincennes and Jasper.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Pike County Assessor at 801 Main Street, Petersburg, IN 47567, phone 812-354-6025. IN assessed at market value.
Courts & Legal
Pike County Circuit Court at 801 Main Street, Petersburg, IN 47567, phone 812-354-6025, 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)
801 E. Main St., Petersburg, IN 47567
(812) 354-8448
ELECTIONS (County Clerk)
801 E. Main St., Petersburg, IN 47567
(812) 354-8448
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Pike County Circuit Court (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
Local societies
No dedicated Pike 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
Pike County Circuit Court 801 Main Street, 2nd Floor, Petersburg, IN 47567 (812) 354-6025 / (812) 354-6026 Pike County is a small, rural county in southwestern Indiana, historically tied to coal mining.
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 Pike 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 Pike 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
801 E. Main St., Petersburg, IN 47567
(812) 354-6236
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
ELECTIONS (County Clerk)
801 E. Main St., Petersburg, IN 47567
(812) 354-8448
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Pike County Health Dept
(812) 354-6236
IN FSSA — Southwest Region
(800) 403-0864
IN Medicaid
(800) 403-0864
Good Samaritan Hospital (Vincennes)
gshosp.org
Daviess Community Hospital (Washington)
dchosp.org
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Pike County Health Department – confirm current contact via pikecounty.in.gov.
Editorial independence: CountyOffices maintains strict editorial independence from our affiliate partners. Our content is researched from official government sources. Affiliate relationships do not influence our recommendations or the information we publish.
