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Kansas County
McPherson County, Kansas
Lindsborg's Little Sweden and Bethany College's Messiah - from Lindsborg's Swedish immigrant heritage (settled by Swedish immigrants in 1869, Lindsborg has maintained its Swedish cultural identity more persistently than almost any other Scandinavian immigrant community in America - Dala horse sculptures line the main street, Swedish restaurants serve traditional cuisine, the Hyllingest celebration occurs each year, and Midsommar and other Swedish festivals attract visitors from across the country) to Bethany College's annual Messiah Festival (since 1882, Bethany College has performed Handel's Messiah each Holy Week - the performance tradition is one of the oldest continuous choral presentations of the Messiah in America).
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Office: McPherson County Emergency Management – (620) 245-1260, under the McPherson County Sheriff’s Office.
Sheriff: McPherson County Sheriff’s Office – 1177 W. Woodside Street, McPherson, KS 67460 | (620) 245-1225 | Fax (620) 245-1237; Sheriff Jerry Montagne. McPherson County Crime Stoppers: (620) 241-1122 or 1-800-241-8118.
Notes: For an active emergency, call 911. McPherson County Communications: (620) 245-1266.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: I-135 and US-56 serve McPherson, the county seat, in central Kansas. Lindsborg, in the county’s Smoky Valley, sits along K-4.
Notes: McPherson County was organized in March 1870, named for Union General James B. McPherson.
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: McPherson County Courthouse – McPherson, KS.
Notes: McPherson County is home to Lindsborg, genuinely and affectionately known nationwide as “Little Sweden USA.” Swedish immigrants first settled the Smoky Valley in 1868-1869, and the town retains a vibrant Swedish-American identity today, with roughly 30% of the population still tracing Swedish heritage. Lindsborg has hosted the biennial Svensk Hyllningsfest (“Swedish Honoring Festival”) since 1941, held every odd-numbered October and drawing hundreds of local schoolchildren who train for months in traditional Swedish folk dancing, alongside a parade, smörgåsbord, and crafts. The town is also home to Bethany College, whose annual community performance of Handel’s Messiah has continued since 1882 – a tradition Reader’s Digest once dubbed “The Oberammergau of the Plains” – and the Birger Sandzén Memorial Gallery, showcasing the celebrated Swedish-American painter who taught at Bethany for decades. A 1914 newspaper article already called Lindsborg “a cultural center,” a reputation the town has maintained ever since.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: McPherson County Veterans Affairs – confirm current contact via mcphersoncountyks.us.
Libraries
LIBRARIES
McPherson Public Library (McPherson) – confirm current address/phone via the county library system.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Lindsborg’s Old Mill Museum, the Birger Sandzén Memorial Gallery, and the Välkommen Trail (a 4.5-mile paved path with historical markers) are the county’s premier heritage and outdoor attractions.
Notes: The genuine, still-thriving “Little Sweden USA” Swedish-American heritage of Lindsborg is one of the most distinctive cultural identities covered anywhere in this project.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
Appraisal/Parcel Search: McPherson County Appraiser’s Office – confirm current contact via mcphersoncountyks.us.
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
McPherson Animal Shelter – 1115 W. Woodside, McPherson, KS 67460 | (620) 245-2583 | Email: [email protected]. City-funded shelter (built 2006, opened 2007), houses up to 16 dogs; serves McPherson city limits, dogs only. Hours: 9 AM-6 PM, Mon-Fri.
McPherson County Humane Society – 201 S. Elm Street, McPherson, KS 67460 | Mailing: PO Box 1061 | (620) 241-3682. No-kill nonprofit funded entirely by donations.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Office: McPherson County Solid Waste – confirm current contact via mcphersoncountyks.us.
NOTES: McPherson County is the fourth county in the ninth Kansas Round 3 batch, under the A+ sourced standard established for this project. The genuine, still-thriving “Little Sweden USA” Swedish-American heritage of Lindsborg is one of the most distinctive cultural identities 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 McPherson County
McPherson County is central Kansas’s Little Sweden county – Lindsborg’s Swedish cultural heritage, preserved more faithfully than almost any other Scandinavian immigrant community in America, makes it one of the most distinctive small towns on the Great Plains.
Lindsborg (population ~3,500) is where Swedish immigrant identity has thrived for over 150 years – the Dala horse sculptures, Swedish restaurants, Old Mill Museum, and annual Swedish festivals reflect a community commitment to cultural preservation that has made Lindsborg nationally recognized.
Bethany College’s Messiah Festival – performed every Holy Week since 1882 – is one of America’s oldest continuous choral traditions.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
McPherson County Appraiser at 117 N. Maple Street, McPherson, KS 67460, phone 620-241-5870. KS residential assessed at 11.5% of appraised value.
Courts & Legal
McPherson County District Court at 117 N. Maple Street, McPherson, KS 67460, phone 620-241-3422, handles probate.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK (Records, Elections)
117 N. Maple St., McPherson, KS 67460
(620) 241-3656
DISTRICT COURT CLERK (Court Records, Marriage Licenses)
117 N. Maple St., McPherson, KS 67460
(620) 241-3422
ELECTIONS (County Clerk)
117 N. Maple St., McPherson, KS 67460
(620) 241-3656
Genealogy
County-level record sources
McPherson County District Court (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
McPherson College holds regional historical materials.
Local societies
No dedicated McPherson 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
McPherson County District Court, 9th Judicial District 117 North Maple Street, P.O. Box 1106, McPherson, KS 67460 McPherson County is in central Kansas, home to McPherson College.
Step 1: figure out which path applies
Kansas has NOT adopted the Uniform Probate Code, maintaining its own statutory framework under the Kansas Probate Code (K.S.A. Chapter 59). Kansas offers several tracks depending on estate size and complexity:
Small Estate Affidavit – for estates where the total value of probate property, less liens and encumbrances, does not exceed $75,000 (raised from $40,000 effective July 1, 2023), available under K.S.A. 59-1507b. This transfers personal property only. If the decedent left a will, it must still be filed with the probate court even though it isn’t being formally probated.
Simplified Administration – under the Kansas Simplified Estates Act (K.S.A. 59-3201 et seq.), the most common route for straightforward estates.
Formal Probate – supervised or unsupervised administration through the District Court for larger or more complex estates.
A will must be filed for probate within 6 months of death, or it may not be admitted, forcing the estate into intestate distribution.
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 McPherson County District Court.
The court admits the will (if any) and appoints the personal representative.
Notice to creditors is published per court order; creditors have a defined window to file claims.
The personal representative inventories assets, pays valid debts and expenses, and – under unsupervised administration – acts with reduced court check-ins.
Without a surviving spouse or children, Kansas intestate succession law (K.S.A. 59-501 et seq.) determines which blood relatives inherit.
After debts are paid, the personal representative distributes assets and files a final accounting; the court closes the estate upon approval.
What it costs
Court costs may be remitted for small estates under recent statutory changes.
Executor/administrator and attorney fees are generally reasonable-fee based rather than a fixed statutory percentage.
Typical timelines: Small Estate Affidavit can proceed relatively quickly; formal probate commonly takes several months to over a year.
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
117 N. Maple St., McPherson, KS 67460
(620) 241-4000
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK (Records, Elections)
117 N. Maple St., McPherson, KS 67460
(620) 241-3656
ELECTIONS (County Clerk)
117 N. Maple St., McPherson, KS 67460
(620) 241-3656
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
McPherson County Health Dept
(620) 241-1321
KS DCF — North Central Region
(620) 241-0710
KS Medicaid (KanCare)
(800) 792-4884
McPherson Hospital
mcphersonhospital.com (quality community hospital)
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: McPherson County Health Department – confirm current contact via mcphersoncountyks.us.
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Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: McPherson
Population: 29,000
Area: 900 sq mi
Established: 1870
Tier: 3
Public Records
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