May 3 — A sign of the times is re-installed in town

The original entrance sign for Sumner is restored and placed back on its corner

Andrew Hosford / of The Herald

A sign of the past recently appeared on the corner of 160th and Main Street in Sumner.

Seventy-seven years after its original dedication at Coryell’s Corner, the restored entrance marker to the town is being honored today on its anniversary date.

“It is going back where it sat for all those years,” said Carmen Palmer, director of communications for Sumner. “It’s a piece of our heritage.”

The sign reads “Sumner the bulb center of the west.” The Sumner Historical Society and Sumner Arts Commission took on the task of cleaning the sign and re-installing it at the intersection.

“A lot of people got attached to the sign,” said Cindi Hochstetter, chair of the historical society.

Taken down after new art work was installed on May 1, 2005 at Thompson and Traffic avenues, the historical society stored the sign.

The arts commission refurbished the piece by powder coating the black outer metal and hand painting the yellow lettering. Many of the old welds were also redone to solidify the structure.

“No one really knows what Coryell’s Corner was,” Hochstetter said about the sign’s original location.

Wrought iron was used to build the sign that measures 19-feet long by 8-feet high.

Local mayors and dignitaries from surrounding areas were invited into the town for a chance to see Sumner’s main attraction at the time — daffodils.

“It was a source of pride for the community,” Palmer said. “I am excited we saved it.”

The Women’s Civic Club originally sponsored the sign and Helen Purvis, the postmaster in town at the time, was a proponent of the project.

According to historical records, Purvis, along with Tim Corliss, Mayor Weick and a man named Fred Coryell were all present at the first dedication ceremony in 1930.

Her grandson, Stan Purvis, is cutting the ribbon at the re-dedication ceremony today.

Hochstetter said there are no plans currently to add more signs but does not rule out the possibility.

“There are quite a few entrances to the city,” Hochstetter said.