National Register of Historic Places

Ryan House

Sumner, Pierce County, Washington
Listed
June 29, 1976
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
76001900

About this property

The Ryan House was a historic building in Sumner, Washington, United States that was once used as a museum. The house was built by Fred Seaman as a one-room cabin. In 1872, George Ryan bought the property. He added onto the house in 1875 and 1885. In 1926, Ryan's family donated the property to the town of Sumner for use as the Sumner Public Library. The building housed the library from 1926 to 1979, and now houses the Sumner Historical Society, which operates the house as the Ryan House Museum. The Ryan House was home to the Sumner Historical Society for several years, but neglect to the upkeep on the house by the City of Sumner has led to issues. While plans were made to accomplish a renovation, an outside renovation firm was hired, and determined in their report that it was not suitable for renovation, or that the proposed renovation would cost over $2 million. On September 18, 2023, the Sumner City Council voted to demolish the Ryan House, and put a park in its place, without significant input from the local community. Negotiations were made to prevent the building's demolition. A local group, "Save the Ryan House" had been formed by a group of citizens. In March 2024, a Pierce County Superior Court judge ruled against the city, finding that sufficient notice was not given to the public to move forward with the demolition and that it could not proceed. Nevertheless, the Ryan House was demolished on 25 July 2025.

Location

1228 Main St.
Sumner, Pierce County, Washington
47.20294, -122.23861

Categories

EXPLORATION/SETTLEMENT
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Native Heritage
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Settlement
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Notable People
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Nearby Historic Sites

Williams, Herbert, House
Industrial
0.6 mi
Orton, Charles W., House
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1.3 mi
Alderton School
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2.3 mi
Meeker, Ezra, Mansion
Industrial
2.6 mi
Dieringer School
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2.7 mi

Questions about this property

When was Ryan House listed on the National Register?

Ryan House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 29, 1976.

What type of historic resource is Ryan House?

Ryan House is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Ryan House?

The period of significance for Ryan House is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Ryan House?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Ryan House will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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