Sunman, Indiana
  Adams Township
 

 TORNADO SHELTERS

SUNMAN COMMUNITY CHURCH

MASONIC LODGE

For a detailed map to these shelters, visit:

http://www.rcema.com/shelters/sunman.jpg


Population of about 805
Sunman is known for its Fireman's Festival & Strawberry Festival held in June


Other Features:
appliance store, auto parts store, bank, barbershop, beauty salons, feed store, fire dept, grocers, insurance companies, laundromat, post office, real estate offices, restaurants, service stations, sporting goods store, transmission shop, and more

Location: State Road 101, near Interstate 74
Ripley County Census: http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/18/18137.html

Sunman Camber of Commerce: 

 http://www.sunmanchamber.org
History of Sunman - Sunman was platted by James Vanness in 1856 around a crossing of the "Big Four" railroad track which was laid in 1853.  There are two versions as to how the town was named Sunman.  Harold Freeland in his History of Adams Township reported the story told by Ruby Sunman Hess that the town was named in honor of Thomas W. Sunman, "then a prominent citizen of the township, stockholder in the new railroad and an intimate friend who had been a great assistance to Mr. Vanness in his real estate venture."    It has also been reported that Mr. Vanness called the town Sunmanville in honor of a friend, John Sunman, who assisted him in surveying and platting the land.  Both were sons of John Sunman, Sr., who brought the family to Adams Township in 1819-1820 from Holtby near York, England.   In 1853, the railroad was built across Ripley County and opened for traffic from Lawrenceburg to Indianapolis.  The original town of Sunman was laid out parallel to the railroad tracks and became a major trading center drawing customers from not only Adams Township, but from northern Franklin Township and Dearborn County.  Trains stopped traveling on the railroad line that runs through Sunman during the early 1980's, but Central Railroad bought the line recently and reopened it to train traffic.  Currently trains do not stop in Sunman and it has ceased to have an impact on the community.   Sunman has had to face its share of problems.  Two fires caused heaving destruction in the town in 1886 and 1905.  However, the town and its citizens have always persevered.

BACK TO RIPLEY COUNTY