Sumy is a regional town situated upon the Psel River and its tributary Sumka. It was founded in 1652 by the settlers from Bila Tserkwa (White Church) regiment as a fort. In 1658 -1765 the Slobids'kyi Regiment was dislocated in Sumy. The Regiment distinguished itself in battles with the Turks in 1677-78.

Sumy became a town in 1780. The legend has it that Hetman Doroshenko lost his bag here. It is also believed that the name of the city comes from three bags, which were found here. On the city coat of arms there are three bags on the silver background.

During the 18 and 19 centuries trade and industrial enterprises flourished here. When regimental rule was abolished in 1765 the Sumy Cossack regiment became Hussar light cavalry regiment.
The abolishing of serfdom in 1861 helped to spur industrial development of the city. Before the WWI there were over forty enterprises in Sumy.

In the present-day Sumy they produce machinery for the chemical industry, electron microscopes, pumps, and fertilizers. Light industries include sugar refining and other food processing. The city is known for production of clothing and footwear. In Sumy there are Bio and Porcelain Plants.
The city boasts of the S. Makarenko Teacher-training Institute, the Sumy Museum of Arts where the pictures of T. Shevchenko, V. Borovykovs'kyi, I. Shyshkin, A. Kuindzhi and T. Yablons'ka are on show.

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