What makes Sumner's sights so special is the way history can be felt here not only in dusty plaques, but in every creeping barn and every narrow street sign. I remember driving over the old railway bridge for the first time – a relic from the 1880s, which once formed the backbone of agricultural exports and today served as a photo background for Instagram aspirants. Those who travel in Christy Township quickly realize that the fields here tell more than any city tour: You've experienced more harvest than some people's years of life.
A short trip by car from St. Louis via Interstate 55 to Lawrence County is hardly an effort; the land roads that lead to Sumner are lined by corn and the occasional tractor that looks past leisurely as if he wanted to say: “Welcome in the real Middle West.” I don't quite understand the hype about big cities, but the rest here is really great – at least until the next tractor noise tears the silence.
If you ask why I come back again and again, it's up to the small cafés that have more charm than some 5 star restaurants. And yes, I’ve already cataloged the “Sumner Sights” in my head – from the old post carriage to the annual Thanksgiving Festival, which creates more common feeling than any advertising campaign.
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The old court building of Lawrenceville, which stands proudly over the main road, is the first thing that comes to my mind when leaving Sumner – a stone monument to the whole region, which has more stories to tell than you could read in a day. I once tried to count the stone columns there, just to see that the real highlight is the creeping park that is hardly more than a narrow gravel path; Parking is usually easy, except on Saturday night, there will be a real problem.
A short trip south leads to the Kaskaskia River State Fish & Wildlife Area, a piece of nature that feels like a forgotten chapter from an outdoor manual. There I caught a huge pike on a hot July afternoon, which almost convinced me that I am a natural talent – until I realized that the animal was only a particularly stubborn fish that mocked me with a targeted jump from the water. The access is well signposted, and parking is located directly at the entrance where a few old trees donate shade, if the weather suddenly decides to behave.
Back in Lawrenceville, the Lawrence County Historical Museum, a small but fine house full of relics, is waiting to reveal more about local history than any Wikipedia page. I remember how I found an old diary from the 1880s in a dusty corner and almost believed that the author wanted to trust me personally – until I realized that it was just an ordinary peasant calendar. The museum has a small parking lot behind the building; that is usually a free place as long as not a school class is doing the excursion.
Another must is the Lawrence County Fairgrounds, all year round a pool for everything you could call “rural entertainment”. I once visited the annual Tractor-Pull event and was impressed by how serious the drivers take their machines – almost as if they were driving a Formula-1 race, only with much more dust. On the weekends the terrain is full, so better to come early, otherwise you have to take a path between the stands, which is not just a walk in the park.
For those looking for a little silent reflection, there is the Lawrence County Veterans Memorial, a simple monument that reminds of the fallen and at the same time is a popular photo stop for Instagram users who want to post their “#blessed” posts. I once discovered an old photo of my grandmother that she had made during the visit of the monument in 1975 – a small moment that reminded me that history lives not only in books but also in family albums. The parking lot is a small, unconsolidated place, which is usually free as long as there is not a memorial.
A little off but definitely worth a detour is the Lawrence County Public Library. It looks like any other small library at first sight, but the heart is the local history corner where you can browse old newspapers and city maps that give you the feeling of traveling through time. I once found an old town register that lists the names of all the former mayors – a real treasure for curious people. Parking is right in front of the building, usually a few free places, unless the school has just organized a trip.
Whether you admire the stone halls of the court building, look for the next pike in the Kaskaskia River State Fish & Wildlife Area or get stuck in the fairgrounds of rural energy – Sumner's surroundings offer more than enough fabric for a day of discovery. And if you count all this together, you get a pretty good picture of what Sumner attractions really.
This guide invites you to make a small, but self-contained trip through the heart of Sumner – yes, just the tiny little town in Christy Township that you would easily overlook if you don't accidentally drive along Highway 51.
I have to admit right at the beginning that my favorite place here Sumner Historical Museum is. The building itself is a remodeled prison from the 1880s, and this is already half the pleasure: you stroll through old cells and suddenly you feel like you read a piece of wild-west-Roman, just that the cowboys here are talking with corn flasks rather than with revolvers. The exhibition is small, but every exhibit has a story that I like to recount with a glass of lemonade in the park next door. Parking is usually easy, except on Saturday night, there will be a real problem because the annual “Sumner-Picknick” takes place and everyone tries to get a place next to the grill.
A short walk further leads you to St. Mary's Catholic Church. I don't quite understand the hype about gothic churches, but here you really have a few impressive stained glass windows that immerse the sunlight in an almost sacral color play. The interior is surprisingly spacious for a village that has hardly more than 2 000 inhabitants. If you are lucky, listen to the quiet murmur of the municipality during the Sunday Mass – a sound that expresses more about life here than any brochure.
Directly opposite Sumner Public Library, a real Carnegie building from 1915. I spent more time there than I would like to admit, because the venerable shelves and the crunchy wood create an atmosphere that invites you to melt. The staff is friendly, but slightly annoyed when you ask for the latest bestsellers – here you prefer to read local history books that you don't find anywhere else. And yes, the WLAN works, so you can provide your Instagram stories with a touch of nostalgia.
If you are looking for something green, the Sumner City Park That's right. A small lake, a playground, a few benches, and a gazebo used in summer for open-air concert evenings. I once experienced a spontaneous folk concert where a local guitarist and an 80-year-old baker played “Take Me Home, Country Roads” together – no joke, that was real. The park is free and parking is usually free on the outskirts of the park as long as you do not arrive on the first Saturday of a month when the “Sumner-Farmers-Market” blocks the road.
A little off, but still a must for anyone who wants to feel the authentic land life is that Sumner Railroad Depot. The old railway station building is today a mini museum that documents the history of the railways in this region. I discovered an old model of a steam locomotive there that is so in love with detail that I was almost trying to buy it. The place is easy to find because it is located directly on the main road, and parking is practically always available – a small bonus for those who do not like looking for a free parking space.
A last but not less interesting stop is that Old Town Hall, which today serves as a community center. Here you will find art exhibitions of local artists who have more talent than one would expect from a place that is barely larger than an average supermarket. I once saw an exhibition of watercolours depicting the rural Illinois in rainbow colours – a bit cheesy, but honestly pretty. The building has a small parking lot behind the town hall, which is mostly empty, unless there is a village festival.
If you now think of “Sumner Sights”, you probably already have a picture in your mind that consists of a mix of historical architecture, small green spaces and a pinch of local peculiarity – and that's exactly what I love about this spot earth. It is not Paris, but it has its own charm, and that is sometimes worth more than any shiny skyline.
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