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Indiana County
Putnam County, Indiana
DePauw University and the covered bridge capital of Indiana - from DePauw University in Greencastle (the United Methodist liberal arts university - one of Indiana's oldest and most distinguished institutions, founded 1837, whose alumni include Vice President Dan Quayle and dozens of business, political, and cultural leaders - provides intellectual and economic anchoring in west-central Indiana) to Putnam County's covered bridge collection (Putnam County has more covered bridges than any other Indiana county - the historic wooden bridges scattered across the county's rural roads draw heritage tourists on the annual Covered Bridge Festival each October).
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Office: Putnam County Emergency Management – confirm current contact via co.putnam.in.us.
Sheriff: Putnam County Sheriff’s Office – 13 Keightly Road, Greencastle, IN 46135 | (765) 653-3211 | Email: [email protected].
Notes: For an active emergency, call 911.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: I-70 and US-231 serve Greencastle, the county seat; one of Indiana’s first railroads passed through the county in 1852.
Notes: Putnam County was named for General Israel Putnam of the American Revolution. Greencastle was chosen as county seat, named for Ephraim Dukes, originally from Greencastle, Pennsylvania. The county’s first newspaper, “The Hoosier,” was published in 1830.
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Putnam County Courthouse – 1 Courthouse Square, Greencastle, IN (built by Caldwell & Drake of Columbus, Indiana, cost $175,729.68 total including furnishings, cornerstone laid October 29, 1903, dedicated July 4, 1905).
Notes: Putnam County is home to DePauw University, a 2,300-student liberal arts college in Greencastle, chartered in 1837 as Indiana Asbury University under the patronage of the Methodist Episcopal Church. It was genuinely one of the first institutions in the western United States to grant equal educational privileges to women. The Putnam County Jail traces to an original 1836-1840 structure; a new facility built in the early 1930s was constructed under the supervision of a former superintendent of Alcatraz Prison. Forest Hill Cemetery and the Alfred Hirt House are separately listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Putnam County Veterans Affairs – confirm current contact via co.putnam.in.us.
Libraries
LIBRARIES
Putnam County Public Library (Greencastle) – confirm current address/phone via the county library system.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: The DePauw University campus, Forest Hill Cemetery, and the historic Putnam County Courthouse Square are the county’s premier heritage attractions.
Notes: The genuine, historically progressive legacy of DePauw University (originally Indiana Asbury University) as an early advocate for women’s higher education is among the standout local cultural facts covered in this project.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
Appraisal/Parcel Search: Putnam County Assessor’s Office – confirm current contact via co.putnam.in.us.
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Putnam County Humane Society – confirm current contact via co.putnam.in.us.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Office: Putnam County Environmental Health – confirm current contact via co.putnam.in.us.
NOTES: Putnam County is the sixty-eighth county completed in Indiana’s Round 3 v2 redo, under the A+ sourced standard established for this project. The genuine, historically progressive legacy of DePauw University as an early advocate for women’s higher education is among the standout local cultural 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 Putnam County
Putnam County is west-central Indiana’s DePauw University and covered bridge capital – the 1837 liberal arts university and the county’s collection of historic covered bridges make Greencastle one of Indiana’s most culturally and historically distinctive small cities.
Greencastle (the county seat, population ~11,000) is anchored by DePauw University – the institution’s 3,500 students, cultural programming, and alumni network give Greencastle a vitality unusual for a small west-central Indiana community.
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Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Putnam County Assessor at 1 Courthouse Square, Suite 19, Greencastle, IN 46135, phone 765-653-4312. IN residential deductions reduce assessed value.
Courts & Legal
Putnam County Circuit Court at 1 Courthouse Square, Greencastle, IN 46135, phone 765-653-2648, 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, Greencastle, IN 46135
(765) 653-2648
ELECTIONS (County Clerk)
1 Courthouse Square, Greencastle, IN 46135
(765) 653-2648
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Putnam County Circuit Court (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
DePauw University Archives, Greencastle, holds significant regional historical materials.
Local societies
No dedicated Putnam 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
Putnam County Circuit Court One Courthouse Square, Greencastle, IN 46135 (765) 653-5315
Putnam County’s seat, Greencastle, is home to DePauw University, a nationally recognized liberal arts college.
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 Putnam 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 Putnam 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
4 E. Washington St., Greencastle, IN 46135
(765) 653-3211
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
ELECTIONS (County Clerk)
1 Courthouse Square, Greencastle, IN 46135
(765) 653-2648
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Putnam County Health Dept
(765) 653-5524
IN FSSA — West Central Region
(800) 403-0864
IN Medicaid
(800) 403-0864
Putnam County Hospital
pchosp.com (Greencastle — quality community hospital)
Franciscan Health Crawfordsville
franciscanhealth.org/crawfordsville
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Putnam County Health Department – 1542 S. Bloomington Street, Suite 1500, Greencastle, IN 46135 | (765) 301-7660 | Fax (765) 301-7665 | Email: [email protected].
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Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Greencastle
Population: 38,000
Area: 480 sq mi
Established: 1821
Tier: 3
Public Records
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Search public records for Putnam County residents.
