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Minnesota County
Freeborn County, Minnesota
Albert Lea - the crossroads city and Fountain Lake - from Albert Lea's strategic I-90/I-35 interchange (Albert Lea sits at the intersection of I-90 and I-35 - two of America's most important interstate highways - making it one of the most significant transportation crossroads in the Upper Midwest and the first major Minnesota city encountered by travelers arriving from Iowa on either route) and Fountain Lake (the city lake at the heart of Albert Lea's park system and the Blue Zones Project - Albert Lea was one of the first American cities to implement the Blue Zones community wellbeing program, extending resident life expectancy through policy and environmental changes).
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Services: The City of Albert Lea issues its own building permits within city limits, (507) 377-4340.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
County VSO: Freeborn County Veterans Services – Albert Lea, MN 56007
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: Albert Lea Public Library – 211 East Clark Street, Albert Lea, MN 56007, (507) 377-4350 | Hours: Mon/Wed/Thu 9 AM–6 PM, Tue 9 AM–8 PM, Fri & Sun 1–5 PM (closed Sat)
Services: Genuinely a free public library since 1899, housed within Albert Lea’s City Hall building since 1968 and renovated in 2007; features a computer lab, Wi-Fi, and a mural by artist Chandler Anderson in the Children’s Library.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Freeborn County, whose seat Albert Lea was founded in 1855, is genuinely the hometown of actress Marion Ross, best known as Marion Cunningham – “Mrs. C” – on the classic sitcom “Happy Days.” Though born in Watertown, Minnesota, Ross moved to Albert Lea as a teenager and considered it her true hometown, working as a lifeguard on Fountain Lake before pursuing her acting career. The city’s community theater was renamed the Marion Ross Performing Arts Center in her honor in 2008, and in 2021 the city unveiled a life-sized bronze statue of Ross on a bench outside the theater, funded in part by donations from her “Happy Days” castmates Ron Howard and Henry Winkler; the statue faces the lake where she once worked, a detail Ross herself helped choose. She has continued supporting the community, including fundraising for the Freeborn County Historical Museum
Notes: Freeborn County’s Albert Lea is genuinely the hometown of “Happy Days” star Marion Ross, honored with a performing arts center bearing her name and a bronze statue funded in part by her famous castmates.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
GIS Portal: Freeborn County GIS/Online Maps – accessible via co.freeborn.mn.us
Parcel Search: Freeborn County Assessor – Albert Lea, MN 56007
Addressing/911: Coordinated through Freeborn County Sheriff’s Office
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Facility: Humane Society of Freeborn County – 101 James Ave (Frank Hall Park) / 101 Eddie Cochran St, Albert Lea, MN 56007, (507) 377-8501 | Hours: By appointment only
Services: Genuinely founded in 1976 by a volunteer group of animal lovers; a no-kill shelter operated under a joint venture agreement with the City of Albert Lea, which owns the shelter property while the Humane Society runs operations – an arrangement recognized with a city award in 2009. Offers a “Seniors Adopting Seniors” discounted adoption program for adults 65+ adopting older pets.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Environmental Complaints: Minnesota Pollution Control Agency – pca.state.mn.us
Notes: Contact your specific municipality directly for current refuse collection and recycling program details.
NOTES
Freeborn County’s Albert Lea is genuinely the hometown of “Happy Days” star Marion Ross, honored with a performing arts center and bronze statue. All contact information above was sourced from official county, city, library, and shelter pages as of this writing; phone numbers and hours should be reconfirmed directly with the relevant office before a visit.
About Freeborn County
Freeborn County sits at the I-90/I-35 crossroads – Albert Lea’s position at the intersection of two of America’s most important interstates makes it the Upper Midwest’s most significant southern Minnesota gateway, and the city’s Blue Zones community health initiative extended resident life expectancy in a nationally recognized experiment.
Albert Lea (the county seat, population ~18,000) is the commercial hub for south-central Minnesota’s agricultural communities near the Iowa border.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Freeborn County Assessor at 411 S. Broadway, Albert Lea, MN 56007, phone 507-377-5177. MN homestead exclusion reduces taxable market value.
Courts & Legal
Freeborn County District Court at 411 S. Broadway, Albert Lea, MN 56007, phone 507-377-5153, handles probate.
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Freeborn County District Court (probate case files – see Probate section above).
Local societies
No dedicated Freeborn 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
Freeborn County District Court Freeborn County Government Center, 411 South Broadway, Albert Lea, MN 56007 (507) 668-6014
Freeborn County was founded February 20, 1855, named for William Freeborn, in south-central Minnesota, seated in Albert Lea.
Step 1: figure out which path applies
Minnesota follows the Uniform Probate Code, which keeps most estates on a streamlined informal track. Minnesota’s small-estate shortcuts are unusual among states in that they can include real property, not just personal property.
Affidavit for Collection of Personal Property (Minn. Stat. § 524.3-1201) – for personal property only. The entire probate estate – including the contents of any safe deposit box, less liens and encumbrances – must be under $75,000. Joint tenancy property and assets that pass by beneficiary designation (life insurance, transfer-on-death accounts) don’t count toward the threshold. A 30-day waiting period applies after death, and no court filing is required – the affidavit is presented directly to the institution holding the property.
Summary Assignment – can include real property, and is court-based. Covers estates up to $75,000, including real property. A certified copy of the court’s Decree of Distribution is filed in the county real estate records to transfer title.
Summary Administration (Minn. Stat. § 524.3-1203) – the higher-threshold real-property option, covering estates up to $150,000, exclusive of the exempt homestead. The homestead itself is excluded from the value calculation entirely for both Summary Assignment and Summary Administration – Minnesota’s homestead exemption protects the family home from most creditor claims and it descends to the surviving spouse free of most claims against the estate. If closing and distribution follow the terms of a will, a formal probate hearing for the will is still required before a summary decree can issue.
STEP 2: FORMAL/INFORMAL PROBATE (for estates above the thresholds)
File with the District Court in the county where the decedent was domiciled; informal probate is available for most estates, with the personal representative appointed by the Registrar and minimal ongoing court interaction.
The personal representative publishes a creditor notice and directly notifies known creditors, opening a 4-month creditor claim period.
Once the creditor period closes and debts are paid, assets can typically be distributed and the estate closed without returning to court, unless there’s a dispute or a beneficiary requests a formal accounting.
Formal probate – requiring a hearing before a judge – is used in more complicated situations, such as will contests or disputes over the personal representative.
THE 3-YEAR DEADLINE – MORE RESTRICTIVE THAN MOST STATES Informal probate is no longer available after 3 years from the date of death, though formal probate may still be possible in limited circumstances.
What it costs
Small estate procedures can move relatively quickly once the 30-day wait passes. Standard informal probate is largely governed by the 4-month creditor period, so most straightforward estates take at least that long to close.
Minnesota has its own state estate tax, but the exemption threshold is relatively high – $3 million – so most Minnesota families aren’t affected. Rates on the amount above the exemption range from 13% to 16%, applied on a graduated scale; the exemption is not portable between spouses. Minnesota has no state inheritance tax.
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
411 S. Broadway, Albert Lea, MN 56007
(507) 377-5200
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
ELECTIONS
411 S. Broadway, Albert Lea, MN 56007
(507) 377-5160
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Office: Freeborn County Public Health – Albert Lea, MN 56007
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Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Albert Lea
Population: 30,000
Area: 708 sq mi
Established: 1855
Tier: 3
Public Records
TruthFinder
Search public records for Freeborn County residents.
