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History · Sumner

Sumner’s history is
mostly unwritten

The public archives hold no old photos of Sumner. The rest are in attics, shoeboxes and the historical society. Help start the collection.

0old images & papers
0recent photos

The story

from WikipediaRead it all ↗

The first township in Reno County was Reno Township, which covered the whole county upon its creation in 1872. Haven Township was established later in 1872 from parts of Reno Township, and then in 1877 Sumner Township would be created from part of Haven Township. The first settler in what was to be Sumner Township was John L. Gill, who settled in the area in March 1872. Sumner Township is home to the former town of Ost, also called St. Joseph, and had a large German Catholic community. Ost was incorporated from 1882–1911 and had a peak population of 150 people.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Be one of the first

Start Sumner’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Sumner’s history is told.

0 of 10 decades since 1900 have photos 📦Share a family photoSign in to add one+10

Famous people close to Sumner

See all 15 →
CHColton HaynesAndale · 6 miDerek NorrisDerek NorrisGoddard · 13 miWalter A. HuxmanWalter A. HuxmanValley · 15 miHoward J. McMurrayHoward J. McMurrayMount Hope · 8 miHarold D. SmithHarold D. SmithHaven · 7 miLFLarry FossCastleton · 12 mi
By decade

Sumner, decade by decade

Before
2000
No old photos in the archives yetWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
📷 Add from your album
National Register of Historic Places

Nothing in Sumner is on the National Register yet

That’s true of most small towns. It doesn’t mean Sumner has no history, only that no one has written up a nomination. The closest listed place is St. Mark Church in Union, 10.3 miles away.

Sumner and the nearest listed places

Dashed line = Sumner. Tap a dot.
St. Mark ChurchMohr BarnLouis Werner BarnBernard’s Restaurant and CateringSedgwick Downtown Historic DistrictUS Post Office-Halstead

Closest to Sumner

St. Mark ChurchUnion · Built 190610.3miMohr BarnAttica · Building13.3miLouis Werner BarnGalesburg · Built 191213.4miBernard’s Restaurant and CateringHutchinson · Building18.9miSedgwick Downtown Historic DistrictSedgwick · District19.7mi

How a place gets listed

1Talk to the stateEvery nomination goes through the State Historic Preservation Office. Owners, towns and historical societies can start one.
2Try a local or state list firstMany states keep their own register with a shorter form, a common first step for old barns, halls and schoolhouses.
3Write it upA nomination covers the history, photos and a map. St. Mark Church’s page links to a real one.
Know an old place in Sumner?A mill, a schoolhouse, a cellar hole, a church: add a photo of it to Sumner’s story, or a memory of it.
📷 Add a photo of an old place
National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places · photos from Wikimedia Commons

Then & now

When neighbors add old photos, retakes from the same spot appear here side by side.

Stories next door

nearby towns’ history
📜 Sherman📜 Andale📜 Ninnescah📜 Grand River
We left the porch light on

Where to, neighbor?

You’re in Sumner, KSReno CountyView boundary

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/15 · 2025-01-01
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