Visit Sumner Lawrence Illinois and the surrounding area to see the top sights. Discover Sumner, Illinois - the small, idyllic village in Heartland! Experience the traditional Farmers' Market and local specialities like the famous Sumner Pies. Hiking in nature and visiting the friendly farms are unforgettable experiences. Here it is quiet but not boring!
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.
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.
Find more vacation destinations near Sumner Lawrence Illinois using our map.
Villages, towns, districts, places and Vacation destinations you should visit.
©copyright by POI-Travel.de
info@poi-travel.de
