On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Sumpter Township is more historic than 82% of U.S. towns. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its age pulls it down.
A−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Sumpter Township’s overall grade.
Few Illinois towns list much on the Register (a typical Illinois town has 0.5 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Sumpter Township’s 875 sits above most of its state (99% of Illinois towns have fewer) while its 158 historic buildings outnumber those of 92% of U.S. towns.
NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1860.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from B to A. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±7.7 points).
Founding year: Wikidata (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →
What stands out about Sumpter Township’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Wikipedia doesn’t have a history of Sumpter Township yet. The photos, dates and memories neighbors add here are how it gets written.
Sumpter Township is one of eight townships in Cumberland County, Illinois, USA. As of the 2020 census, its population was 2,051 and it contained 880 housing units.
Sumpter Township was established in 1860. Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses its population grew from 1,980 to 2,051 (+4%).
Intro from Wikipedia. Population: U.S. Census Bureau.
Timeline
Sumpter Township, 1860 to 1984
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Sumpter Township. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1984Johnstown sheet · 1:24,000
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Sumpter Township.
People over time
Sumpter Township, census by census
Between 1,524 and 2,051 people in every census since 1930.
10 censuses, 1930–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Sumpter Township’s Wikipedia page.
Famous people
Famous people close to Sumpter Township
Nobody well known was born in Sumpter Township itself, so here are the best known from just nearby.
Lost post offices, places now gone and burying grounds
Another post office, Mule Creek, opened and closed inside today’s town.
Gone or out of use
Berry SchoolschoolCenter SchoolschoolChristian Run SchoolschoolCumberland County FarmlocaleEast Whiteoak SchoolschoolMorton ChapelchurchMule Creek Post Officepost officeMumford SchoolschoolSilver Leaf SchoolschoolStitt SchoolschoolUnion SchoolschoolWhiteoak Schoolschool
7cemeteries and burying grounds inside Sumpter Township
Bear CreekBerryFarmerFriends GroveSalemToledo Memorial ParkUpper Berry
US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
Stories next door
History across the town line
Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.
In 1860, according to Wikidata. Sumpter Township’s post office opened in 1856, and the census of 1930 counted 1,524 people here.
How does Sumpter Township rank for history?
Sumpter Township is more historic than 82% of U.S. towns. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
What is on the National Register in Sumpter Township?
2 listings: 1 historic district, the Lumpkin Heights and Elm Ridge Subdivision Historic District, with 157 contributing buildings. 158 historic buildings in all.
How old are the homes in Sumpter Township?
25% of Sumpter Township’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±7.7 points), against a typical 11% for an Illinois town; the median home was built in 1967.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
From the National Register of Historic Places (1), U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
