Celebrating the History of Sumner's Libraries

with the Sumner Historical Society

For 100 years, two libraries have served the Sumner area. Let's celebrate!

Celebrating the history of Sumner's libraries for National Library Week. Learn the history of Sumner's libraries, explore the Sumner Historical Society's new on-line Research Center and learn about their upcoming events.

This year's national theme is Find your Joy! That theme applies nicely to the history of Sumner's libraries.

• It was a joyful year in 1926 .... When the Ryan House, on Main Street, became the first library.
• It was a joyful year in 1979 .... When the Fryar Avenue branch of the Pierce County Library System opened.
• In the near future .... it will be a joyful year when the library returns to Main Street in a new building.

What to look for ...

• Interesting items from Sumner's first permanent library, like the handcrafted sign that stood in front of the Ryan House.
• Archival items and information about the Ryan House Library.
• Historical information about the current library building built in 1979 and it's expansion and remodel in 1995.

During the event, the Sumner Historical Society will introduce you to the Society's newest project, the Resource Center: an online source for community researchers featuring more than 300 works authored over the last 120 years by Sumner area individuals, families, clubs, groups, government and businesses.

Also during the event, the Sumner Historical Society will share their 2026-2027 project, an on-line collection of digitized, searchable newspapers published in Pierce County from 1869 to 1989.

For more information about this event and everything the Sumner Historical Society does, please see their website at https://www.sumnerhistoricalsociety.com/.

Join us!

Upcoming events