Director

The first tenet of the Meyer building was Puget Sound Power &amp; Light. The power company signed a ten year lease. Walter Failor of Auburn was the general manager of the Sumner and Puyallup offices.In 1925, The Sumner Electric Co moved to the Meyer building. Later the same year the owner. C. E. Divine, sold it to Parsons Electric of Puyallup,In 1934, The City Electric Co. moved from the Dower building to the Meyer building on Main street.In the late 1930s, the Sumner Bakery opened in the building. B. F. Daniels was an early owner. In 1940 Daniels sold to G.G. Cummins and Jack Ebberson and a soda fountain was added. The Sumner Bakery was in the building thru the early 1950s.:It became Peterson Bakery from 1955 to 1961 operated by DeWayne and Florence Peterson from Seattle. It offered a complete line of baked goods. DeWayne had worked previously at the bakery when Daniels was the owner.In the 1970s it was the Danish Bakery, owner, Ole Nielson. Rolf Muenn bought the bakery from Nielson in the late 70s. Rolf and the Gast House Bakery were a big part of Sumner through the early 2000s. In 2005, KC's. Caboose Restaurant, was lost to a fire. In 2007 it reopened in this building as KC's Caboose Cafe &amp; Bakery.Sometime around 2015 KC's closed and Mignon's Cafe Bellis opened.Since 2017, 1012 Main has been Hometown Charm Cafe, delivering a comfortable breakfast and lunch dining experience. The owners, April and Teresa, grew up together in Sumner, hence the name, You will enjoy the historical photographs and artifacts worked into the decor that recognize the buildings long history of bringing fine food to the diner's table.

Highlights of the buildings last 100 years

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Built in 1921 by Jacob Meyer, this building featured large transom windows and a recessed entrance. It cost $4000. to build. That would be $63,000 today. The earliest photograph available shows larger windows and a brick bulkhead, higher on the East side.  At some time a canopy was added and In the 60's the front was redone to the current look.


Walking Main, ...... 1012 Main Street, Sumner Washington

This tour celebrates seven buildings in our downtown district that are now over 100 years old.  In two years, 1921 and 1922, more buildings were added to Main Street than in any other period of Sumner's history.   We want to share the stories of the people who built and ran Main Street businesses over the last hundred years. Who they were, their families, their customers, what they sold, their civic and social involvement.  We also want to honor the current business owners that have taken what were once variety, hardware and grocery stores and repurposed them into antique shops, boutiques and specialty businesses that are still bringing people into Sumner to shop.  Sumner's Main Street is not just a group of buildings that happened to be built in the same era or share a common architectural style. It is people and the businesses they run. Every day they step out their front door and look for ways to help all of Sumner prosper.   Enjoy our virtual walking tour of the buildings, or if you wish,  visit downtown Sumner and walk the tour.

The Sumner News Index reported on the first firms in the building. The prime corner storefront was occupied by The Fountain Confectionary and Cafe, owned by Stahlhut &amp; Freidline, It was formally The Sugar Bowl located in another building downtown, The east storefront facing Main was taken by a grocery, owned by M.J. Burcher of Pullalup. (The Help Your Self Grocery). On the Kincaid Avenue side there was Rodger's Dry Goods, Leverenz Toggery and a restaurant, The Club Cafe, in the storefront furthest south. Note that this added up to three storefronts however the Kincaid side has four storefronts. The second floor was mostly medical. In the corner location was Dr. Mitchell and Dr. Rodman with an operating room and a shared reception room. Also on the second floor, Dr. Maude Sandy in the two rooms at the south end. The Sumner lending library was given a large room on the second floor.This building was and still is the most active business center in Sumner.Over the years the 1002 Main street storefront had other occupants, Frank Sollar's Drug, replaced Beaver's Thrifty Drugs in 1947, Later came The Country Weaver, The Corner gift Box, Paper Muse and Blue Iris Beads, The east storefront, 1004 Main has housed Howard Insurance Co. and Washington Gas &amp; Electric. In 1935, the State's Hot House Rhubarb Code Manager, Don Frank, had an office at 1004 Main.In later times the Kincaid storefronts served as an informal incubator for retail start ups. with businesses establishing themselves and then moving to other locations downtown.The best example was Golden Rule Antiques and Gifts which later moved to Main Street as Golden Rule Bears and became one of the premier teddy bear businesses on the west coast. Other businesses on the Kincaid side were J. Mitchell Photography, Flanigan Insurance, Puget Sound Energy, the post office and the Sumner News Review. The Antique Angler, The Collectable Cat, Joanne's Barber Shop and Out of the Attic.  Present day. The east storefront is The Spartan Agency, for three generations Spartan has activity supported downtown Sumner. They are a prime example of what makes Sumner strong. The corner storefront is Junker's Nest, a shop featuring home decor, collectables, and antiques. On the Kincaid Ave. side is the Sumner Main Street Association, along with Butterfly Kiss Photography, My Pampered Life and Mode Boutique.

1002-1004 Main and 900 block of Kincaid.  Built in 1922, the Leverenz building has changed very little.  The display and transom windows have been updated. The brick pilasters and cornice still have their distinctive 1920’s style.

The Main Street corner entrance had a recessed alcove. The Spartan Agency entrance has been recessed and the bulkhead redone. The Kincaid Avenue store fronts have been redone with recessed entrances and bulkhead planters.


Walking Main, The Leverenz Building, 1002 - 1004 Main Street and the 900 block of Kincaid

The first occupant in 1922 was the Sumner Variety Store, This business, owned by D. W. Thorps, had been serving the community for five years from an older structure downtown,. The new location allowed him to double the stock.In 1923, O.V. Darrow bought the business from Thorps and sold books, magazines, candy and school supplies. Later that year Darrow sold to A. W. Thomas from Puyallup who named it the Mapleleaf and started a confectionary business. In 1925, the Parrot Confectionary was located in the building, the menu was light lunches and quality ice cream and a special line, Ward's homemade candies, fresh boxed! The Parrot's motto was "Your moneys worth every time". In 1926, the Parrot was bought by Mr, &amp; Mrs, W. H. Edgerly who operated the business until 1930 when it was sold toMr. and Mrs. Glazier of Seattle. They closed it later that same year.In 1932 N. F. Dracobly opened a clothing and sundries store, Dracobly's Dry Goods, The business lasted into the 1950's. They were Armenian and for a time, lived in the back of the store. A later phone book showed them living on Boyd Avenue, a half block from Loyalty Park. One local memoir tells us that as a girl the writer went shopping downtown with her grandmother and they always stopped in at Dracoblys because her grandmother loved visiting with Mrs. Dracobly. One the purchases were made she would have the amount put on her bill and every once in a while, grandpa would go in and settle up.Another local remembers shopping with her mother for new overalls for her dad. Her mother would go through every pair on the counter, one by one. When the daughter asked why she was told that if there was a faint light color line at the fold of the pant leg, that told her the overalls were older stock and less desirable. She wanted only the newest for dad.In the late 1980's Kirschenmann's Bible Nook brought religious books, records and decor to Sumner.In 1993, LuAnn Iselin brightened Sumner's downtown by establishing the boutique, "A Picket Fence" at 1006 Main. Voted "Best Gift Shop" in South Puget sound, LuAnn's unique merchandising mix brings the best of brands to Sumner and includes items that pay homage to the building's historical past especially candy, You will find Brighton ~ HOBO ~ Toms ~ Baggalini, Crabtree and Evelyn ~Tyler Candles plus one of a kind finds fashion clothes &amp; accessories,

There were five new buildings on Sumner's Main Street in 1921. One was a double brick building that cost seven thousand dollars to build. ($93.000 in this years dollars). Half of the building, 1008 Main, was built by L. D. Howe. The other half, 1006 Main, was built by R. G. Fyrer. They were the owners pf the Sumner Pharmacy. The buildings shares a center wall and front center pilaster.    there are three capped pilasters.
 Both have the same upper facade, a simple cornice with a tapestry design in the upper brick.Both had transom windows and the same style of recessed entrance, bulkheads, and windows facing Main Street.
On 1006 Main, the original entrance has been preserved. A metal canopy was aded at some early point.

Walking Main, ..... 1006 Main Street, Sumner WA

Most of the earlier occupants of the Howe building were in the hardware business. Through most of the 20th century there were at least two hardware stores on Main Street. Hinson Hardware was the first occupant of the building, opening for business in September of 1922. There was competition, an existing hardware store and a plumber that also sold retail. C.D. Hinson was from Kent Washington. When he moved to Sumner to open the store he lived at 714 Kincaid Avenue, a small bungalow three blocks from the store. He had a family, his wife, Anna, and a daughter, Bernice. It is likely he walked to the store, in 1921 firing up an automobile to go three blocks was not something people did.In the mid 1930s the business became Wings Hardware.A 1938 phone book showed Wing Hardware as the occupant of the building and a 1958 phonebook still listed Wing Hardware at the address. Fred Wing and his wife Gertrude moved from Bellingham to Sumner in 1935. Fred went into the hardware business and Gertrude taught grade school for 18 years at Wade Calavan Elementary. They had two sons, Roger and Douglas.Some time around 1959, the business changed to Geter’s Home Town Hardware. The owner was Geter Strokes.In the early 60s it became Ludden Hardware when Jerry and Dolores Ludden moved to Sumner from Seattle. The Luddens stayed in the hardware business through the 90s, however in 1984 they moved the business from 1008 Main to 1011 Main, the Masonic building, where it became a Tru Value store. A news story tells us that with the help of friends, "half the town" helped them make the move in one Sunday. "we never closed a day, Dolores recalled". Jerry also served on the city council for 20 years.After Ludden Hardware moved, 1008 Main then started a new life in the clothing and fashion business. One earlier name was "The Clothing Express".1008 Main is now Sparrow &amp; Nightingale's, a charming shop for antiques, vintage finds, locally crafted gifts and upcycled home decor. Reflecting the hardware history of the building, the shop carries a line of artisan paints, coatings and sealers. Classes are available.

In 1921 a number of older wood buildings on Sumner's Main Street were torn down and replaced by five new brick buildings.  One was a double brick building that cost seven thousand dollars to build. ($93.000 in this years dollars). Half of the building, 1008 Main, was built by L. D. Howe. The other half, 1006 Main, was built by R. G. Fyrer. They were the owns of the Sumner Pharmacy. The buildings shares a center wall and front center pilaster.   there are three capped pilasters.  Both have the same upper facade, a simple cornice with a tapestry design in the upper brick.
Both had transom windows and the same style of recessed entrance, bulkheads, and windows facing Main Street.
On 1008 Main, the transoms and original entrance have been replaced with a recessed entrance.

Walking Main, .....  1008 Main Street, Sumner WA 

In May of 1922, the News Index reported that the building was almost ready for the new occupants. The Golden Rule Department store had leased the corner space with the large windows facing on Main. The proprietor, W.G. Davis would use those windows to display more items. Davis had opened the Golden Rule in 1915 in a smaller location downtown. In 1925 W.L Barnard bought the business. It closed in 1932.C,G Stacy &amp; Son, plumbers, fitters and tinners were in one of the Alder stores. MacLean Grocery of Tacoma was in the second Alder location and the Modern Tailors in the third.By early September, 1922 all the businesses were open and enjoying the ample floor space and shelving that was lacking in their previous locations in the downtown district.In 1935, what was to become a Sumner Icon, the Berryland Confectionary moved into the Golden Rule space from another location downtown. It was owned by Ed Elliott. In 1937 the Corbins, Waldo and Juanita, bought the Berryland, then In 1939 they bought Ed DeNune's ice cream store and merged it in with Berryland. In 1942 Waldo joined the merchant marine so they sold the Berryland. The Berryland continued with various owners until 1960. In 1949 Waldo Corbin was back from the war so the couple opened Corbin's Confectionary and Lunch in the bank building on Main, just across the street from the Berryland.In 1995, Nolan Bursile and Lola Hansen purchased the bank building and because the name Berryland was no longer being used, they named the cafe Berryland. They continued running the cafe and were leaders of Sumner's rhubarb renaissance until their retirement in 2018. Because of Nolan and Lola and the Corbins, Berryland was identified with Sumner dining for close to 100 years. Different locations but the same fine food, including rhubarb. Ellenora Peterson and her husband, Louie, opened Sumner Auto Supply in 1947, and moved the family business into the buildings corner location in 1972.June of 1993, the building burned down. There were five business impacted, Cafe Cinco de Mayo, Mystic Hair design, Deltan Salon, Sumner Auto Supply and Carnahan Insurance Agency which had seen three generations serving Sumner from the same office. The corner of Main Street and Alder Avenue is still one of the busiest in the downtown district. A two story building, the Sumer Professional Center is where the Althen &amp; Muchler building was located. Two stories means there are many more businesses serving Sumner than there was before. That is a good thing. Here is a list:Sugar Shack Day Spa,Edward Jones,Exodus CounselingBangs SalongChristine Christian, M.A. LMHCAmy Voss, AttorneyMy Home GroupVibrant Life ChiropracticEmphasis TechnographyMassage on MainAstro Travel

The March 1921 Sumner News Index reported that Messrs. Althen & Muchler purchased multiple lots on the corner of Main and Alder and would build a structure with six store fronts, three on Alder and three on Main. This was one more storefront than the Leverenz building under construction at the same time.It was destined to be a busy building in the downtown district.
The brick block building was 62 x 108 feet and cost $13,000 to build.
In 1960 the building fronts were remodeled and a new Alder Avenue side entrance was added. 
The building was lost to fire in 1993.


Walking Main, ........the Althen & Muchler Building,  Main Street & Alder, Sumner Washington

While many Main Street buildings had a regular turnover of occupants, this building was blessed with businesses that stayed for long periods. The Sumner Grocery was there for 14 years and the Sumner News Index for 28 years. The antique shop, Whistle Stop was there for 23 years.Sumner Grocery moved into the building in January 1921. The grocery owners were John Davis and Robert Corliss. One of the small storefronts was taken by Cuquet's Barber Shop.Sumner Grocery was not self service, customers would come in with their list or needs and the clerks would pull the goods from shelves and showcases.in 1923 Cuquet's Barber Shop became Eberhart's and in 1933 Jack's Barber Shop.In 1926 Sumner Grocery was sold to J.O Johnson and Niel McClane. This may have been due to competition, a Piggly Wiggly opened that same year just a block down Main Street.In 1929 the Sumner Grocery bought and moved the vegetable market that was being operated as part of Geiger's Meat Market. This was just across the street so we can assume that customers looking for vegetables easily accepted the change.In 1936 George Burghaus passed away and the building was bought as an investment by the S. P. Gray family in Puyallup.In 1934, Sumner Grocery and Geiger's Meat Market moved to 1201 Main, the building where Craft 19 is now. The grocery operation changed to self service. They became a Thriftway affiliate in 1948.In 1934 Lyle &amp; Pete Andrews bought the Sumner News Index from their father, C.E. Andrews. In 1934 they moved the paper to 1109 Main. It had been on the second floor of the bank building for 15 years so finally having street level access must have made a lot of tasks easier.The Andrews family were newspaper people. From 1912 to 1963, three generations provided a weekly paper to Sumner and the valley. Twenty eight of those years were in this building. Every family member worked at the paper at one time or another. At their home on Bonney Avenue, and later on Washington Street, Pete Andrews supplemented his family's newspaper income by raising raspberries and Blackberries that were sold to the local cannery. They also had a cow, chickens, garden and an orchard. Pete and Jannette Andrews were high energy people with lots of interests, Pete had a photography business which he ran from the newspaper office and they started selling wedding supplies. That explained the high number of wedding pictures and articles that appeared in the paper over the years. His favorite camera was a Speed Graphic that he bought in 1946. They were community minded people. Review the rolls of community clubs and event committees and there was a very high probability that there would be an Andrews involved. Rotary, city councilman, church boards, Daffodil Festival Board, 4H, and of course the Civic Club, the overseer of most Main Street activities. Pete and Jannette will always be remembered for what they did during WWII, the paper kept an Honor Roll of every local serviceman and they mailed free copies of the paper to every one of them.Pete Andrews sold the paper in 1963 but still owned the building. In 1992 he sold it to Karl and Barbra Keck and it became The Whistle Stop Antique Mall and Keck's Custom Jewelers. That was the beginning of the buildings. Like a lot of us, Barb and Karl liked antiques. introduced by mutual friends, they would run into each other in stores and at shows in the valley and Tacoma area. The relationship became permanent and because of that 1109 Main started a new life as the largest antique mall in Sumner.The Kecks carried on with the tradition of caring for the community. They gladly supported local social and school events. They actively participated in the Sumner Promotions organization and it's successor the Sumner Downtown Association. When the Kecks retired, the antique mall changed over to Off the Beaten Path, Joanne Loudin, the proprietor, carried forward the tradition of community support. Joanne was active in all the downtown associations and actively networked the antiques and collectible circuits in the area. Her efforts resulted in the spectacular array of antiques, craft and country vendors that she recruited every year for Rhubarb Days. In 2020 the Kechs sold the building to Curtiss and Pam Jonhson. The two Boeing retirees had opened an antique mall. Inta Vintage, a few doors away from 1109 Main in 2017. When that building owner decided to make changes with the building, they bought 1109 and moved Inta Vintage into the building. There was ample room for expansion, they added vendors and now have 40 vendors and two floors of vintage, hand created, repurposed furniture, antiques, upcycled and repurposed home decor, unique farmhouse and shabby finds, as well as one of a kind vintage and upcycled clothing. There was no break in community involvement. The Jonhsons were and still are active members of the downtown associations. Curtiss is President of the Sumner Main Street Association.

Construction of 1109 began in 1920 and completed in 1921. It has one large store front with a recessed entry and two smaller store fronts that share a recessed entrance with separate doors. The builder was George R. Burghaus and for years it was called the Burghaus building. He was an insurance man who partnered with Fred Carnahan, another great name in Sumner's Main Street history. The building frontage still remains much the same as when it was built although the cornice was simplified at some point and the hard canopy was recently removed. The back of the building offers a different history, a large two story expansion was added in 1955 by new owners, the Sumner News Index. They needed space for their Linotype, paper press and job presses.

Walking Main ..... 1109 Main Street, Street, Sumner Washington  

In 1906, J.M Burns started a hardware and furniture store in Sumner in a wood framed building on Main street just west of this location. In 1918 his brother in law, J.F. Foster, became a partner and the store moved into a two story wood frame building at 1119 Main. The new name was Burns &amp; Foster.In 1921 they were planning to build a new building across the street but events changed those plans. In March of 1922, their current building and one next to it were lost in a fire. With the City Council's permission, they put up a temporary structure across the street and started construction on a double brick block building at 1119 Main street. By September, they were in the new building.The new building had extra room, so the Sumner Electric Company moved in with them. They carried electrical goods, lighting fixtures and Acme Paint.In 1935, Burns retired and I. J. Putman of Sprague bought the Burns &amp; Foster business and the name changed to Putman's Hardware. Putman was a golfer, a Rotarian and was quite active in sumner.In 1945, John Roeder took over the management of Putman's Hardware. In 1954 it became Coates Hardware. Cushing Coates had been in the hardware business in Portland. A 1960 edition of the Sumner News Index tells us that he had steadily increased his stock to the point that no Sumner person need go out of town for hardware needs or even toys, he had them.In 1954, Coates was elected President of the Sumner Chamber of Commerce.By 1960, Coates has purchased the building that housed his business.By 1979, Robert Breen had opened Breen's Pharmacy in the building.In 1984, Mark and Suzanne Sallander bought 1119 Main, remodeled the store and opened Marks Pharmacy with a full-line Hallmark department along with handcrafted items, candies and gifts. This was one of the forerunners of the boutique and collectable era that Sumner's Main street was entering. It became the "go to" place in Sumner for those types of items. In 2005, Marlene Grantham opened The New England Salt Box, an antique and collectables mall with a quality group of vendors and crafters offering furniture, artisan craftwork, books, candies and kitchen items. By 2014, 2015, the Country Barn, moved from from Orting to Sumner and were in 1119 Main. Dave and Lisa Graf, proprietors.In 2008, Northlight Interiors, an interior design and retail showroom, opened at 1107 Main in Sumner and then move to 1119 Main in 2019. The transom windows were restored under their watch.At that same time, Fleurish Home, a custom cabinetry, remodel and home goods business moved into the back portion of the building and a Ryan Avenue entrance was designed for their use.Fleurish has been in business since 2005.

This double brick block building was completed in 1922. Construction cost then was S12,000. That would be $181,000. today. The buildings large transom windows have been recently restored. The two original entrances were replaced by one large recessed entrance at sometime in the past. It had a hard canopy at one time that has since been removed. A street level side window was added. It has a full basement, something most Sumner Main Street buildings do not have.


Walking Main....1119 Main Street, Sumner Washington

Usually when a building was constructed in downtown Sumner there would be newspaper articles with all the details. A review of the 1921 and 1922 issues of the Sumner News Index reveled only an advertisement for the first occupant of 908 Narrow Street. The ad, from a June newspaper wa s for Blurock Market owned by George Blurock. "Now open for business, a full line of the best quality of meats and poultry". Blurock previously had a meat market on Narrow Street that he opened in 1920.Later in the year Blurock sold to a man named Skelton and for a time the market was advertised as Skelton's Market.In 1922, C. L. Mathias bought the market at 908 Narrow and named it the People's Market In 1925 The Peoples Market moved from Narrow Street.In 1937, Hi Figg moved Figg Feed Co. from the Hocking building to 908 Cherry, a few years later, 1938, Figg moved to 1022 North Street as Valley Hay &amp; Grain Store and J.C. Helm took over the feed store at 908 Cherry and named it Sumner Feed &amp; Seed. A Nash Auto Dealer &amp; Service Center opened at Cherry and Maple in 1941, owners were the Wood Brothers. Sumner Motor Sales, a Ford agency, opened in 1947 at 926 Main and by 1955 they were using 908 Cherry as their body &amp; paint shop. Sometime in the 1960-70s, the Home Elegant Gift Shop was in the building. (city directory)In addition to those we have already mentioned there were other known uses. a clothing factory, metal fabrication, meat processing equipment, the north end also housed a Construction Office, Barber and beauty shop, a baby clothing shop and a book store.  The building is now Sumner Woodworkers, it exists because of John and Joan Schmit.Before retiring from Boeing, John enjoyed restoring classic wooden boats. Century and Chris Craft run-abouts, he often had to repair and replace wooden parts.Acquiring wood, and supplies required numerous trips to Seattle from his home on Lake Tapps. Durning one of these trips, Joan had an idea, open a store for woodworkers in a building they were renovating in Sumner.The result is the Sumner Woodworker Store, established in 1996. When you visit the store, you will find that the Schmits are friends of history. In the store and on the outside they tell the story of the building and of Sumner and the valley.There are are displays of pieces created by customers and staff, You can have a cup of coffee and a cookie, and enjoy the craft of woodworking and the world of woodcarving. If you are not interested in woodcarving or woodworking, there is comfortable seating while you wait for your artist and or craftsman to finish making their selections.

The first thing that one needs to know about Cherry Avenue is that it was first named Narrow Street.   Buildings can be found in the archives with both addresses. 908 Cherry Avenue was built in 1921 as 908 Narrow Street. An  addition was added in 1965. The building grew over the years by absorbing adjoining buildings and addresses. The 908 you see today actually includes, 904, 906, and 910. A walk along the store front shows you what portions of the building were once those addresses.


Walking Main, 908 Cherry Avenue, Sumner Washington

In the early 1870s George Ryan moved to Washington State from Baraboo, Wisconsin. In 1872, while he was working as a bookkeeper for the Pope &amp; Talbot sawmill in Port Gamble, he visited the Puyallup-Sumner Valley looking for business opportunities.Ezra Meeker introduced him to Laura Kincaid Seamen who had a cabin and 40 acres for sale in Sumner. George bought the property and in 1875 enlarged the cabin, adding a bow window and a second story.That same year George’s fiancee, Lucy V. Wood came out from Wisconsin and the couple were married in San Francisco. They raised five children in the Ryan house, Henry, Lewis, Edith, Charles and Warren. The growing family required that the house be expanded, in 1885 they added the main two story section with wood from the Ryan Sawmill located at the north end of Parker Road.In the early 1900’s a hop shed was pushed against the back of the house to became the kitchen.The Ryan’s were mill owners, shop keepers, and farmers, they grew hops, fruits and vegetables.  Lucy was the town’s Post mistress.In 1883, John &amp; Nancy Kincaid with George &amp; Lucy Ryan drew up the plat of Sumner on the Ryan House dining room table.George Ryan was elected Sumner’s first mayor in 1891.George built a railroad station in 1884 to insure that the railroad would make Sumner one of the stops on it’s route. Lucy passed away in 1926 and the heirs entrusted the house to the city as long as it was used for the a public Library. It was the Sumner Public Library and Sumner City Hall until 1935 and the Sumner Public Library until 1979.Sumner still counts a number of Ryan descendants among it’s citizens. Mary Beth Ryan is a Director Emeritus Board Member of the Sumner Historical Society.Photographs from Sumner Historical Society collection, narrative from Sumner Historical Society files

The house started as a one story cabin In the 1860s and was enlarged with a two story addition in 1875. The origional cabin area is Sumner's oldest structure. From the 1870s to 1926 the house was home to the Ryan family In 1926, The heirs of George Ryan, Sumner's first mayor, entrusted the house to the City to be used for public purposes. For years it was Sumner's Library. The house is now home to the Sumner Historical Society while the grounds are part of the City of Sumner's park system. The historic Ryan House is a beautiful example of 19th-century architecture. It is a frame house built of local cedar and represents the simplified rural version of the classical revival style. The expansive veranda is typical of late 19th century millwork. The parlor, dining room and kitchen have been restored to their 1890s look. The house is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Sumner Heritage District, Virtual Tour, Sumner Washington

Walking Main, ...... 1012 Main Street, Sumner Washington

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context

Sources

Additional Information