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North Dakota County
Wells County, North Dakota
Fessenden and James River valley central North Dakota - from Fessenden's role as the governmental hub of Wells County to the county's productive James River watershed agriculture (Wells County's gently rolling glacial terrain in the James River headwaters supports wheat, corn, sunflower, and soybean production across one of central North Dakota's steadily productive farming counties, with the county's agricultural economy reflecting the mixed grain and oilseed farming that defines the heart of the northern Great Plains).
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Notes: Wells County was created in 1873 (originally named Gingras County) and renamed in 1881 for Edward Payson Wells, a Jamestown banker and early promoter of the James River Valley Railroad. The 1895 Wells County Courthouse in Fessenden, designed by architect John W. Ross in an uncommon “urban” Queen Anne style with soaring parapeted chimneys, is individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places (1977). Harvey, founded in 1893 as a Soo Line Railway division point, is named for railway director Col. Scott William Harvey.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Wells County Veterans Service Office – PO Box 362, 120 W 8th St, Harvey, ND 58341 | (701) 324-2665.
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: Confirm current Harvey/Fessenden public library address and hours via wellscountynd.com.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Harvey carries the nickname “Gateway to the Lonetree Wildlife Management Area,” one of North Dakota’s larger wildlife management areas, offering hunting and wildlife viewing. The Sheyenne Lake National Wildlife Refuge, an 800-acre easement refuge on privately owned land near Harvey, is cooperatively protected by landowners and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Fessenden’s 1895 Queen Anne-style courthouse remains a genuine architectural landmark for the county
Notes: Harvey’s identity as the “Gateway to the Lonetree Wildlife Management Area” and the historic Wells County Courthouse are distinctive local features.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
Appraisal/Parcel Search: Wells County Auditor/Treasurer – Fessenden, ND 58438; confirm current contact via wellscountynd.com.
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Facility: No dedicated Wells County, North Dakota animal shelter could be confirmed as of this writing; residents seeking animal welfare services are encouraged to contact the Wells County Sheriff’s Office at (701) 547-3211 for current referral information.
Services: N/A
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Office: Wells County – confirm current contact via wellscountynd.com.
NOTES
Wells County’s historic 1895 Queen Anne-style courthouse and Harvey’s role as “Gateway to the Lonetree Wildlife Management Area” are distinctive local features. No dedicated local animal shelter could be confirmed for this county as of this writing; this should be flagged for follow-up rather than filled with an inaccurate placeholder. All contact information above was sourced via web search as of mid-August 2026 and should be reconfirmed directly with the relevant office before a visit, deadline-sensitive filing, or emergency-adjacent decision.
About Wells County
Wells County is central North Dakota’s James River headwaters agricultural county – wheat, sunflowers, and corn across the rolling glacial terrain define a county where Fessenden provides the governmental hub for scattered farm communities in the heart of the North Dakota plains.
Fessenden (the county seat, population ~480) is Wells County’s governmental center, a small central North Dakota town serving the surrounding agricultural communities.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Wells County Assessor at 700 Railway Street N, Fessenden, ND 58438, phone 701-547-3122. ND assessed at true and full value.
Courts & Legal
Wells County District Court at 700 Railway Street N, Fessenden, ND 58438, phone 701-547-3122, handles probate.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
CLERK OF DISTRICT COURT
700 Railway St, Fessenden, ND 58438
(701) 547-3122
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Wells County Clerk of District Court, Fessenden (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
The 1895 Wells County Courthouse (NRHP) and Wells County Fairgrounds (NRHP), home to the Wells County Historical Society museum, are significant local landmarks.
Local societies
Wells County Historical Society, operating a museum at the Wells County Fairgrounds, Fessenden – confirmed.
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
Wells County Clerk of District Court – Southeast Judicial District 700 Railway Street North, Suite 155, Fessenden, ND 58438 (701) 547-3122
Wells County was founded January 4, 1873, named for Edward Payson Wells, in central North Dakota, seated in Fessenden (though Harvey is the county’s largest city). The 1895 Wells County Courthouse, Queen Anne in style, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, as is the Wells County Fairgrounds, home to the Wells County Historical Society’s museum.
Step 1: figure out which path applies
North Dakota has adopted the Uniform Probate Code (UPC), under Title 30.1 of the North Dakota Century Code – one of only about 18 states to do so. Probate is handled through the state District Court in the county where the decedent was domiciled.
Affidavit for Collection of Personal Property of the Decedent (Form 1, NDCC § 30.1-23) – available when the estate’s personal property, less liens and encumbrances, does not exceed $100,000 (raised from $50,000 by 2025’s HB 1224) AND there is no real property in the estate. Requires a 30-day wait after death, no court filing. Mineral and oil/gas rights are classified as real property and can never be transferred by this affidavit.
Informal Probate – available when less than 3 years have passed since death, the validity of the will isn’t disputed, and everyone with equal or higher priority for appointment agrees on the personal representative. No court hearing required; unsupervised administration is the default.
Formal Probate – required when the will’s validity is contested, someone objects to informal probate, or more than 3 years have passed since death.
Supervised Administration – a court can require ongoing supervision if protection of the estate calls for it.
Step 2: filing for administration
File an Application (informal) or Petition (formal) for Probate of Will and Appointment of Personal Representative with the Clerk of District Court in the county where the decedent was domiciled.
The court/registrar issues Letters Testamentary (with a will) or Letters of Administration (intestate) to the personal representative.
The personal representative publishes notice to creditors; North Dakota’s creditor claim period is 3 months from first publication.
The personal representative inventories and manages the estate’s assets, pays debts and expenses, and distributes what remains according to the will or North Dakota’s intestacy law.
The estate is closed with a final accounting/closing statement.
What it costs
No court filing fee for the Affidavit for Collection of Personal Property.
Filing fees for informal/formal probate vary but generally follow the statewide statutory schedule.
North Dakota does NOT have a statutory fee schedule for attorneys or personal representatives – fees must be “reasonable” based on services provided.
No state estate tax, 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
700 Railway St, Fessenden, ND 58438
(701) 547-3151
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
ELECTIONS
700 Railway St, Fessenden, ND 58438
(701) 547-3122
Department
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Public Health
700 Railway St, Fessenden, ND 58438
(701) 547-3122
Social Services
700 Railway St, Fessenden, ND 58438
(701) 547-3122
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Wells County District Health Unit – 1008 Adams Ave, PO Box 183, Harvey, ND 58341, (701) 324-5259; satellite office at 103 6th Ave N, PO Box 6, Fessenden, ND 58438, (701) 547-3756 | Hours: Mon-Thu 8 AM-4:30 PM
Hospital: Confirm current nearest hospital via wellscountynd.com; residents commonly access regional care through Jamestown or Devils Lake facilities.
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