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Iowa County
Harrison County, Iowa
Loess Hills and Missouri River corridor - from the dramatic Loess Hills State Forest (Harrison County contains some of the finest Loess Hills terrain in Iowa, with wind-deposited silt bluffs rising sharply from the Missouri River floodplain in one of only two such formations in the world - the other is in China) to the county's rich agricultural floodplain along the Missouri River (the broad bottomlands support productive row crop agriculture while the scenic bluff country above attracts outdoor recreation and tourism).
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Office: Harrison County Emergency Management Agency – 116 N. 2nd Avenue, Logan, IA 51536 | (712) 644-2353 | After-hours (712) 644-2353 | Email: [email protected].
Sheriff: Harrison County Sheriff’s Office (Law Enforcement Center) – 111 S. 1st Avenue, Logan, IA 51546 | (712) 644-2244 | Fax (712) 644-2274 | 911 line (712) 600-9774. By contract, provides law enforcement for Little Sioux, Magnolia, Modale, Mondamin, Persia, and Pisgah.
Notes: For an active emergency, call 911.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: I-29 and US-30 (the historic Lincoln Highway) serve Missouri Valley, the county’s largest city, roughly 25 miles north of Omaha; IA-183 serves Logan, the county seat. Missouri Valley became a major regional railroad hub in the 19th century, serving as terminus and headquarters point for multiple lines including the Chicago and Northwestern and the Sioux City and Pacific.
Notes: Harrison County was formed in 1851, named for President William Henry Harrison.
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Harrison County Courthouse – Logan, IA.
Notes: Harrison County sits along the dramatic Loess Hills, a nationally significant landform where thick, wind-deposited silt (loess) – carried from the Missouri River valley by strong winds during the last Ice Age – created sharp ridges, narrow spines, and near-vertical bluffs found almost nowhere else in North America outside China. Preparation Canyon State Park, in the heart of the Loess Hills near Pisgah, takes its name from the vanished settlement of Preparation, established in the mid-1850s by Mormon pioneers who split off from the main Salt Lake City migration to prepare for the journey west before continuing on; the 344-acre park today offers undeveloped hiking, picnicking, and hike-in camping. The county is also part of the Loess Hills National Scenic Byway, a roughly 220-mile paved route (with 185 miles of additional excursion loops) recognized as one of America’s Byways, and includes the Harrison County Historical Village and Welcome Center in Missouri Valley.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Harrison County Veterans Affairs – confirm current contact via harrisoncounty.iowa.gov.
Libraries
LIBRARIES
Logan Public Library (Logan) and Missouri Valley Public Library (Missouri Valley) – confirm current addresses/phones via the county library system.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Preparation Canyon State Park, the Loess Hills National Scenic Byway, Loess Hills State Forest (Mondamin, Pisgah, and Little Sioux units), and the Harrison County Historical Village and Welcome Center are the county’s premier heritage and recreational attractions.
Notes: The genuine, geologically remarkable Loess Hills landscape, and the real story of the vanished Mormon settlement of Preparation, are among the standout natural and historical features covered in this project.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
Appraisal/Parcel Search: Harrison County Assessor’s Office – confirm current contact via harrisoncounty.iowa.gov.
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Harrison County Humane Society – 106 N. 5th Avenue, Logan, IA 51546 | (712) 644-3003 | harrisonhumane.org. 501(c)(3) nonprofit serving Harrison County; adoption fees range from $20 (senior cats) to $200 (puppies); home visits offered.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Office: Harrison County Environmental Health – confirm current contact via harrisoncounty.iowa.gov.
NOTES: Harrison County is the forty-fourth county in Iowa’s Round 3 v2 redo, under the A+ sourced standard established for this project. The genuine, geologically remarkable Loess Hills landscape, and the real story of the vanished Mormon settlement of Preparation, are among the standout natural and historical features 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 Harrison County
Harrison County is western Iowa’s Loess Hills and Missouri River county – the county’s dramatic geography spans from the broad Missouri River floodplain to the steep, wind-sculpted Loess Hills bluffs, supporting agriculture in the bottomlands and growing outdoor recreation tourism in the bluff country above.
Logan (the county seat, population ~1,500) serves as Harrison County’s governmental center, with Woodbine and Missouri Valley providing additional commercial services to the county’s western Iowa communities.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Harrison County Assessor at 111 N. 2nd Avenue, Logan, IA 51546, phone 712-644-3101. IA assessed at 100% market value with residential rollback.
Courts & Legal
Harrison County District Court at 111 N. 2nd Avenue, Logan, IA 51546, phone 712-644-2665, handles probate.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
CLERK OF DISTRICT COURT (Court Records, Marriage Licenses)
111 N. 4th Ave., Logan, IA 51546
(712) 644-2412
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Harrison County District Court (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
The Loess Hills region, a distinctive geological formation running through the county, is a significant local natural landmark.
Local societies
No dedicated Harrison 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
Harrison County District Court, 4th Judicial District 111 North 2nd Avenue, Logan, IA 51546 (712) 644-2665 Harrison County is in western Iowa along the Missouri River, part of the Loess Hills region.
Step 1: figure out which path applies
Iowa has its own comprehensive probate code (Iowa Code Chapter 633) and has not formally adopted the Uniform Probate Code. Iowa offers several tracks depending on estate size and complexity:
Distribution by Affidavit (“very small estates”) – for estates where the gross value of personal property is $50,000 or less and there is no real estate, available 40 days after death under Iowa Code § 633.356. A sworn affidavit is presented directly to banks and other institutions. No court filing is required.
Small Estate Administration – a simplified probate process under Iowa Code Chapter 635 for estates with a gross value of $200,000 or less, with reduced notice requirements and court costs compared to full administration.
Regular (Full) Probate – standard administration through the district court for larger or more complex estates, which can be independent (unsupervised) or supervised.
Supervised Administration – closer court oversight, typically used for contested estates.
Step 2: filing for formal probate
File a Petition for Probate of Will and Appointment of Executor (if there’s a will) or a Petition for Administration (if intestate) with the Harrison County District Court.
The court admits the will (if any) and issues Letters Testamentary (with a will) or Letters of Administration (intestate) appointing the personal representative.
Publish notice to creditors; under independent administration, creditors generally have 4 months from the date of first publication to file claims.
The personal representative inventories assets, pays valid debts and expenses, and – under independent administration – largely acts without ongoing court check-ins.
After the creditor period closes and debts are paid, the personal representative distributes assets to heirs or beneficiaries.
File a final accounting/final report; the court closes the estate upon approval.
What it costs
Personal representative fees are capped by statute at 3% of the gross value of the probate estate (excluding life insurance) unless services are itemized; attorney fees follow a similar framework.
Recording fees at the county recorder run about $7 for the first page of a document and $5 for each additional page.
Typical timelines: Distribution by Affidavit – a minimum 40-day wait; independent (unsupervised) probate typically closes in 6-12 months, with the 4-month creditor period as the primary timing constraint.
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
111 N. 4th Ave., Logan, IA 51546
(712) 644-2244
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY AUDITOR (Records, Elections, Finance)
111 N. 4th Ave., Logan, IA 51546
(712) 644-3935
ELECTIONS (County Auditor)
111 N. 4th Ave., Logan, IA 51546
(712) 644-3935
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Harrison County Health Dept
(712) 644-2622
Iowa DHHS — Region 4
(800) 338-8366
Iowa Medicaid
(800) 338-8366
Myrtue Medical Center (Harlan)
myrtue.com (serves adjacent Shelby County; nearest major facility)
CHI Health Missouri Valley
chihealth.com (Missouri Valley — quality community hospital)
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Harrison County Home & Public Health – confirm current contact via harrisoncounty.iowa.gov.
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Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Logan
Population: 14,000
Area: 697 sq mi
Established: 1851
Tier: 3
Public Records
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