Summit dates to 1837, and 13% of its homes were built before 1940
More historic than 81% of U.S. towns · #76 of 362 in Wisconsin. What drives it
Its Register listings are the George N. Cobb House, the Gustave Pabst Estate and the Dr. Alfred L. Castleman House. Below: maps from 1892 on and the census since 2000.
Founding year: Wikipedia. First post office: 1838.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Summit’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Summit is more historic than 81% of U.S. towns, #76 of 362 in Wisconsin. All 3 inputs are above most U.S. towns; its National Register listings ranks highest and its share of homes from before 1940 lowest.
A−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Summit’s overall grade.
Wisconsin towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical Wisconsin town has 3.0 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Summit’s 15.6 sits above most of its state (80% of Wisconsin towns have fewer) while its 8 historic buildings outnumber those of 74% 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 (±5.1 points). Two sources give 1837.
Founding year: Wikipedia (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 Summit’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Summit was initially a part of Milwaukee County. The town was first settled in the spring of 1837 by Andrew Baxter. In 1838, Curtis Reed, who was the first town chairman, became the first postmaster. By 1840, there were 335 settlers in Summit's 36 square miles (93 km2). The first town meeting, which took place on April 5, 1842, selected Ralph Frisbie as the first town clerk.
In 1837, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. Summit’s post office opened in 1838, and the census of 2000 counted 4,999 people here.
How does Summit rank for history?
Summit is more historic than 81% of U.S. towns, #76 of 362 in Wisconsin. 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 Summit?
Three places: the George N. Cobb House (listed 1982), the Gustave Pabst Estate (1989) and the Dr. Alfred L. Castleman House (1996).
How old are the homes in Summit?
13% of Summit’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±5.1 points), against a typical 12% for a Wisconsin town; the median home was built in 1986.
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 Wikidata (2), the National Register of Historic Places (3), Wikipedia, 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.
