Sims’ Story

The Town of Sims, chartered in 1913, was named for the owner of W.W. Simms Co., a large lumber company located beside the Norfolk Southern Railroad. The lumber company provided growth for this small rural community, and ultimately, birth to a new town in the Old Fields Township. The Town’s prosperity was due in larger part to the surrounding agricultural production and the railroad stop for freight exchange. In 1908 there was already a United States Post Office located in “Old Fields” and the Sims School opened in 1922 and operated until 1978. It wasn’t until 1923 that the Town was incorporated and re-named Sims.

Our town established the first gated community in Wilson County, Crystal Lake Commons. Based on the most recent census information, the Town’s population is an estimated 380. Sims is currently home to approximately 15 businesses and rapidly growing. As subdivisions and residential lots continue to be added to the Town, an Advisory Committee has been commissioned to plan for our future and to revise land use regulations.

Small town living often evokes a sense of community, familiarity, and a slower pace of life. The atmosphere of our town is typically characterized by a strong sense of community, where people know each other and are often involved in each other's lives. Like other small towns who often have a slower, more relaxed pace compared to larger cities, with a focus on local traditions and a simpler way, so is life in Sims. The citizens of Sims are friendly, neighborly, and close-knit, with a strong sense of belonging and a connection to the local community.