Summerville dates to 1838, and 3 of its places are on the National Register
More historic than 76% of U.S. towns · #48 of 263 in Georgia. What drives it
Most of Summerville was built recently: 8% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1973. 3 places in town are on the National Register, among them a historic district with 57 buildings. Below: 11 old photos and papers, maps from 1886 on, and the census since 1850.
Founding year: Wikidata; Wikipedia’s history section gives the same year. First post office: 1840.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Summerville’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Summerville is more historic than 76% of U.S. towns, #48 of 263 in Georgia. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.
A−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Summerville’s overall grade.
Georgia towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical Georgia town has 10.0 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Summerville’s 134 sits above most of its state (74% of Georgia towns have fewer) while its 59 historic buildings outnumber those of 86% of U.S. towns.
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 (±3.8 points). Two sources give 1838.
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 Summerville’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Summerville was founded in 1838 as the seat of the newly formed Chattooga County. It was incorporated as a town in 1839 and as a city in 1909. Summerville was named from the fact it was a popular summer resort. The city thrived in the late 1880s with the construction of the Chattanooga, Rome and Columbus Railroad (later part of the Central of Georgia system).
The Chattooga County Courthouse, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, was completed in 1909. The Summerville Depot, completed by the Central of Georgia in 1918, is also listed on the National Register, and is home to several annual festivals.
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
In 1838, according to Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history of the town. Summerville’s post office opened in 1840, and the census of 1850 counted 248 people here.
How does Summerville rank for history?
Summerville is more historic than 76% of U.S. towns, #48 of 263 in Georgia. 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 Summerville?
Three places: the Chattooga County Courthouse (listed 1980), the Summerville Depot (1992) and the Summerville Commercial Historic District (2012).
How old are the homes in Summerville?
8% of Summerville’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±3.8 points), against a typical 3.8% for a Georgia town; the median home was built in 1973.
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 Wikimedia Commons (20), the Library of Congress (1), Wikidata (2), the National Register of Historic Places (3), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, 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.
1933
1933
Date?
Date?
Date?
Date?
Date?
Date?
2026
2017
2017
2017
2017
2017
2015
2015
2010
2005