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Iowa County
Jackson County, Iowa
Maquoketa Caves State Park and the Mississippi River bluff country - from Maquoketa Caves State Park (one of Iowa's most popular and distinctive state parks - the 16 caves accessible to visitors, including the massive Dance Hall Cave, make it the most cave-rich state park in Iowa, carved from the Silurian-era dolomite of the eastern Iowa bluffs) to Jackson County's scenic Mississippi River bluff landscape (the western bank of the Mississippi in Jackson County provides dramatic bluff views, historic river towns, and the geological character of the Driftless Area's limestone terrain).
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Office: Jackson County Emergency Management – Courthouse, 1700 E. Maple Street (also cited 201 W. Platt St.), Maquoketa, IA 52060 | (563) 542-3911.
Sheriff: Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (Maquoketa Law Center) – 104 S. Niagara Street, Maquoketa, IA 52060 | Dispatch (563) 652-2468 | Main (563) 652-3312; Sheriff Brent Kilburg. One of three 24/7 law enforcement agencies in the county (alongside Maquoketa PD and Bellevue PD); one K-9 unit. Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30 AM-4:30 PM (dispatch 24/7).
Notes: For an active emergency, call 911. Ansel Briggs, Iowa’s first state governor, once served as a Jackson County Sheriff.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: US-61 and IA-64 serve Maquoketa, the county seat; the Mississippi River forms the county’s eastern border, with Bellevue sitting along its bluffs.
Notes: Jackson County was established in 1837, named for President Andrew Jackson.
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Jackson County Courthouse – 201 W. Platt Street, Maquoketa, IA.
Notes: Jackson County is home to Maquoketa Caves State Park, widely regarded as one of Iowa’s most distinctive and popular state parks. The 370-acre park, in the unglaciated Driftless Area northwest of Maquoketa, contains at least 13 caves carved through 430-million-year-old Silurian-age dolomite bedrock, along with a natural bridge and balanced rock. Preservation efforts began in 1921 when the Maquoketa Women’s Club purchased the first roughly 17 acres (including the caves and natural bridge) for $7,500; the site, originally called Morehead Caves, was renamed Maquoketa Caves in 1928 and officially dedicated as a state park on October 13, 1933. Much of its rustic stonework – including the Dancehall Cave walkway system, a lodge, and picnic shelters – was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s, and the historic district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1991. Elsewhere in the county, Bellevue State Park offers striking Mississippi River bluff views, and the Codfish Hollow Barn near Maquoketa has become a nationally known music venue hosting touring indie bands.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Jackson County Veterans Affairs – Jackson County Courthouse, Maquoketa, IA 52060.
Libraries
LIBRARIES
Maquoketa Public Library (Maquoketa) and Bellevue Public Library (Bellevue) – confirm current addresses/phones via the county library system.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Maquoketa Caves State Park, Bellevue State Park, the Hurstville Interpretive Center, and Codfish Hollow Barn are the county’s premier natural and cultural attractions.
Notes: The genuine, striking cave geology of Maquoketa Caves State Park – routinely described as one of the most unique parks in the entire state – is among the standout natural features covered in this project.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
Appraisal/Parcel Search: Jackson County Assessor’s Office – Jackson County Courthouse, Maquoketa, IA 52060 | (563) 652-4935.
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Jackson County Humane Society – 23354 Dark Hollow Road, Maquoketa, IA 52060 | (563) 652-5360 | Email: [email protected]. No-kill nonprofit shelter founded 1979, serving Maquoketa, Bellevue, Delmar, Andrew, and the rest of Jackson County; adoption fees $70 dogs, $55 cats; open daily except Mondays, 12-3 PM.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Office: Waste Authority of Jackson County – 25146 184th Street, Maquoketa, IA 52060 | Office (563) 672-3451 | Scale (563) 672-3431.
NOTES: Jackson County is the fiftieth county in Iowa’s Round 3 v2 redo – the halfway point of the 99-county project – under the A+ sourced standard established for this project. The genuine, striking cave geology of Maquoketa Caves State Park is among the standout natural 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 Jackson County
Jackson County is eastern Iowa’s cave park and Mississippi River bluff county – Maquoketa Caves State Park’s 16 accessible caverns and the scenic bluff landscape above the Mississippi make it one of Iowa’s most visited natural recreation destinations.
Maquoketa (the county seat, population ~5,900) is the gateway to the caves state park – the town’s historic downtown and proximity to the Mississippi River bluffs provide a scenic base for exploring eastern Iowa’s limestone cave landscape.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Jackson County Assessor at 201 W. Platt Street, Maquoketa, IA 52060, phone 563-652-3391. IA assessed at 100% market value with residential rollback.
Courts & Legal
Jackson County District Court at 201 W. Platt Street, Maquoketa, IA 52060, phone 563-652-3451, 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)
201 W. Platt St., Maquoketa, IA 52060
(563) 652-2414
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Jackson County District Court (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
Local societies
No dedicated Jackson 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
Jackson County District Court, 7th Judicial District 201 West Platt Street, Maquoketa, IA 52060 (563) 652-4946
Jackson County was formed December 21, 1837, named for President Andrew Jackson. In its early years, the county seat moved between Bellevue and Andrew before settling in Maquoketa in 1873 under a 99-year, $1 lease.
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 Jackson 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
201 W. Platt St., Maquoketa, IA 52060
(563) 652-3312
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY AUDITOR (Records, Elections, Finance)
201 W. Platt St., Maquoketa, IA 52060
(563) 652-3181
ELECTIONS (County Auditor)
201 W. Platt St., Maquoketa, IA 52060
(563) 652-3181
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Jackson County Health Dept
(563) 652-2490
Iowa DHHS — Region 1
(800) 338-8366
Iowa Medicaid
(800) 338-8366
Jackson County Regional Health Center
jcrhc.com (Maquoketa — quality community hospital)
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Jackson County Public Health / Environmental Health – Penrose Annex, 311 W. Platt Street, Maquoketa, IA 52060 | (563) 652-1743.
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Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Maquoketa
Population: 19,500
Area: 636 sq mi
Established: 1837
Tier: 3
Public Records
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