Sumava Resorts, Indiana

Sumava Resorts, Indiana
Unincorporated community
Entrance to Sumava Resort
Sumava Resorts Show map of Indiana Sumava Resorts Show map of the United States
Coordinates: 41°09′56″N87°26′17″W / 41.16556°N 87.43806°W / 41.16556; -87.43806
Country	United States
State	Indiana
County	Newton
Township	Lake
Sumava Resorts	1927
Area
• Total	2.42 sq mi (6.26 km2)
• Land	2.1 sq mi (5.4 km2)
Elevation [1]	633 ft (193 m)
Population  (2014) [2]
• Total	291
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	46379
Area code	219
FIPS code	18-74078 [3]
GNIS feature ID	2830475 [1]

Sumava Resorts is an unincorporated community in Lake Township, Newton County, in the U.S. state of Indiana. ^[1]

History

Sumava Resorts was laid out in 1926. ^[4] A post office has been in operation at the community since 1928. ^[5] A group of Czech immigrants from Chicago formed the Sumava Forest Resorts Inc. It was named for the Bohemian Forest, which in the Czech Republic is called the Šumava Forest. ^[2]

The resort became a weekend and summer resort for the Chicago community. Special trains would bring the city folks out to Sumava and return each weekend. Lukes' Restaurant & Tavern on County Road N 250 W became the center of activities, with guests dining on duck, roast chicken, dumplings and kraut. ^[2]

The community's location along the Kankakee River meant that it has been plaqued by flooding. Major floods occurred in 1950, 1967, and 1976. A levee break in 1993 brought national attention to the community. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers designed and constructed a $7 million dike around the community, ending the annual risk of flooding. ^[2]

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
2023 (est.)	73	[6]

The United States Census Bureau defined Sumava Resorts as a census designated place in the 2022 American Community Survey. ^[7]

References

1. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Sumava Resorts, Indiana
2. Csepiga, Melanie (March 26, 2016). "Sumava Resorts has rich history". The Times. Northwest Indiana Times. The Times Media Co. Retrieved September 11, 2021.
3. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.
4. Baker, Ronald L. (October 1995). From Needmore to Prosperity: Hoosier Place Names in Folklore and History . Indiana University Press. p.  316. ISBN   978-0-253-32866-3. This village, established as a summer resort, was founded in 1926...
5. "Newton County". Jim Forte Postal History. Retrieved May 6, 2017.
6. "B03002 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – Sumava Resorts CDP – 2023 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". U.S. Census Bureau. July 1, 2023. Retrieved August 1, 2025.
7. "2022 Geography Changes". United States Census Bureau.