Sumner Heritage District, Virtual Tour, Sumner Washington - Clio

Entries on This Tour

1. Ryan House Museum, 1228 Main Street

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.

2. Walking Main, 908 Cherry Avenue, Sumner Washington

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

This Tour is a Walking Tour.

Sumner Heritage District, Virtual Tour, Sumner Washington

Created by Historian Sumner Historical Society on April 23rd 2021, 10:40:09 pm.

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Description

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.

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