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Missouri County
Johnson County, Missouri
Whiteman Air Force Base and the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber - from Whiteman AFB (the only operational base for the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber - America's most advanced and expensive aircraft at over $2 billion per plane - making Johnson County home to the most technologically sophisticated air wing in the US military) to the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg (enrollment ~12,000, one of Missouri's largest regional universities) and a west-central Missouri county whose military and university presence creates unusual economic stability for a rural community.
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Office: Johnson County Emergency Management Agency – 263 SE State Route 13, Warrensburg, MO 64093 | (660) 747-2666 | Fax: (660) 747-2316.
Dispatch: Johnson County Central Dispatch E-911 – Administration (660) 422-6317 | Dispatch (660) 747-2265 | Email: [email protected].
Sheriff: Johnson County Sheriff’s Office – Non-emergency 24-hour (660) 747-6469; Sheriff’s Office hours for civil process Mon-Fri 8:30 AM-3:30 PM. Johnson County Detention Center inmate roster line: (660) 747-2916.
Notes: For an active emergency, call 911. Johnson County is also home to Whiteman Air Force Base, the only permanent base for the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: US-50 and MO-13 serve Warrensburg, the county seat, roughly 50 miles east of Kansas City; the county borders Jackson, Cass, Henry, Pettis, and Lafayette Counties.
Notes: Johnson County has an estimated population of roughly 54,000-58,000 and is home to the University of Central Missouri.
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Johnson County Courthouse (Courthouse Square) – Warrensburg, MO 64093; NRHP-listed, built 1896-1898 in Romanesque Revival sandstone by architect George E. McDonald, with a distinctive octagonal domed central tower and four corner pavilions. The earlier Old Public Square Courthouse (1838-1841, Federal style, also NRHP-listed) now houses the Johnson County Historical Society.
Notes: Warrensburg holds genuine significance as the site of the famous 1870 “Old Drum” trial: a Johnson County court case over the wrongful killing of a farmer’s hunting dog, in which attorney George Graham Vest (later a U.S. Senator, previously a Boonville resident – see Cooper County file) delivered his celebrated “man’s best friend” courtroom eulogy. The Old Johnson County Courthouse, where the trial was held, still stands on the Old Public Square; a monument to Old Drum, erected in 1958 by the Warrensburg Chamber of Commerce with contributions from dog-lovers worldwide, stands near the site today.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Johnson County Veterans Service – confirm current contact via johnsoncountymo.gov.
Federal: VA facilities accessible via the Kansas City VA Medical Center or a Whiteman AFB military treatment facility; confirm current routing.
Libraries
LIBRARIES
Trails Regional Library (Warrensburg branch) – confirm current address/phone via trailsrl.org.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: The Old Drum Monument and Old Public Square Courthouse, the 1896-98 Johnson County Courthouse, the Johnson County Historical Society, and Whiteman Air Force Base’s periodic public open houses are the county’s premier attractions.
Notes: The genuine origin site of the “man’s best friend” legal legacy is one of the most distinctive local facts covered anywhere in this project – directly connecting to the Cooper County file’s George Graham Vest coverage.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
Appraisal/Parcel Search: Johnson County Assessor – confirm current contact via johnsoncountymo.gov.
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Old Drum Animal Shelter (operated by Warrensburg Animal Rescue, W.A.R.) – 35 SW 101st Rd, Warrensburg, MO 64093; the only animal shelter in Johnson County, serving the community for over 43 years; W.A.R. assumed operation January 1, 2021 after the City of Warrensburg voted to defund the shelter in 2020, with the city and county each matching W.A.R.’s first $100,000 raised; a no-kill facility; adoption fees $85-$150 for dogs/puppies, $65-$100 for cats/kittens (includes spay/neuter, vaccinations, microchip, and relevant testing); also offers low-cost microchipping. Fittingly named for the county’s own “Old Drum” legal legacy.
Warrensburg Cat Advocates (WCA) – homeless cat community assistance and education; confirm current contact via warrensburgcatadvocates.org.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Office: Johnson County – confirm current contact via johnsoncountymo.gov.
NOTES: Johnson County is the third county in the eighth batch of the Missouri v2 A+ sourced redo. The genuine origin site of the “man’s best friend” legal legacy – and the shelter fittingly named Old Drum Animal Shelter – is one of the most distinctive local facts 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 Johnson County
Johnson County is west-central Missouri’s military and university county – home to the world’s only operational B-2 stealth bomber base and one of Missouri’s largest regional universities.
Whiteman Air Force Base – home to the 509th Bomb Wing and its fleet of B-2 Spirit stealth bombers – is Johnson County’s dominant economic institution. Each B-2 costs over $2 billion, making the Whiteman fleet one of the most valuable military assets in the world. The base employs thousands of military and civilian personnel.
Warrensburg (the county seat, population ~20,000) hosts the University of Central Missouri – enrollment of approximately 12,000 makes it one of Missouri’s larger regional universities, providing education, arts, and economic activity.
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Johnson County Assessor at 300 N. Holden Street, Suite 205, Warrensburg, MO 64093, phone 660-747-9822. MO residential assessed at 19% of true value. Appeal to Board of Equalization.
Courts & Legal
Johnson County Circuit Court at 300 N. Holden Street, Warrensburg, MO 64093, phone 660-747-6161, handles probate.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK
300 N. Holden St., Warrensburg, MO 64093
(660) 747-6811
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Johnson County Circuit Court, Probate Division (probate case files – see Probate section above).
The 1838-41 Old Johnson County Courthouse, NRHP-listed, now houses the Johnson County Historical Society.
Local societies
Johnson County Historical Society, headquartered in the NRHP-listed Old Johnson County Courthouse in Warrensburg.
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
Johnson County Circuit Court, Probate Division 101 West Market Street, Warrensburg, MO 64093 (660) 422-7413
Johnson County was founded December 13, 1833, named for Richard Mentor Johnson, in western Missouri, seated in Warrensburg. The 1896-98 Johnson County Courthouse on Courthouse Square, Romanesque Revival in style, is NRHP-listed, as is the earlier 1838-41 courthouse it replaced, which now houses the Johnson County Historical Society.
Step 1: figure out which path applies
Missouri probate is governed by Title XXXI of the Missouri Revised Statutes (Chapters 470-475), the Probate Code.
Small Estate Affidavit (RSMo § 473.097) – available when the entire estate, less liens and encumbrances, does not exceed $40,000. A 30-day waiting period after death applies, and only if no application for letters is pending. If the property listed is worth more than $15,000, the clerk must publish a notice to creditors in a newspaper of general circulation in the county. A bond may be required. Once the court issues a certified small estate certificate, the affiant presents it directly to whoever holds the property to collect and distribute assets – avoiding full probate. Typical timeline: about two months to close, versus six months to a year or more for full probate.
Formal Administration – required for larger or more complex estates. A petition for Letters Testamentary (with a will) or Letters of Administration (without one) is filed with the probate division. After review, the court appoints the personal representative and issues the letters. Missouri offers both supervised and independent administration. Missouri requires an attorney to represent the personal representative in both types of administration.
Step 2: filing for formal probate
File a petition with the Probate Division of the Circuit Court in the county where the decedent was domiciled.
The court appoints the personal representative and issues Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration.
The personal representative publishes a notice to creditors in a newspaper of general circulation in the county, and gives direct notice to known creditors. Creditors have 6 months from the date of first publication to file claims.
Within 30 days of appointment (unless the court extends the deadline), the personal representative files an inventory and appraisement of all estate assets.
After debts are paid and the creditor claim period expires, the personal representative distributes the remaining assets and files a final settlement with the court to close the estate.
What it costs
Missouri sets statutory minimum fees for attorneys and personal representatives based on a percentage of the estate’s value, though additional fees may be allowed for extraordinary services.
Missouri has no state estate tax and no state inheritance tax. Only the federal estate tax could apply, and only to very large estates.
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
300 N. Holden St., Warrensburg, MO 64093
(660) 747-2663
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
ELECTIONS
300 N. Holden St., Warrensburg, MO 64093
(660) 747-6811
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Office: Johnson County Health Department – confirm current phone via johnsoncountymo.gov.
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Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Warrensburg
Population: 54,000
Area: 833 sq mi
Established: 1834
Tier: 3
Public Records
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