Summitville

How Summitville began

Summitville was laid out in March 1853 by Peter Friedt in southwestern Columbiana County's Franklin Township and named for its supposed elevation as the highest point between the waters of the Sandy and Lake Erie. Catholics of the township bought a log building near the future village site in 1845 for St. John's Church, and a brick church costing about $10,000 followed in 1848 with a resident priest. The Hastingsville post office moved to Summitville in 1852 when the Cleveland and Pittsburgh Railroad was completed through the township. The population peaked at 150 in 1950 and was 110 in 2020.

Settled 1853, platted March 1853, by Peter Friedt.

Where the name comes from

Both county histories say the village was laid out in March 1853 by Peter Friedt and named Summitville because its site was supposed to be the highest point of elevation between the waters of the Sandy and Lake Erie.

Before the town

No source names a specific Native American village, camp or burial site within present Summitville's boundaries. The village was not established until 1853, more than half a century after the region's Native land claims were ceded under the 1785 Treaty of Fort McIntosh and confirmed by the 1795 Treaty of Greenville.

Timeline

1. 1845 — Catholics of Franklin Township buy a log building, originally put up as a store, near the future site of the village and found St. John's Church as a mission point where priests from other parishes hold occasional services; an earlier church stood at the McAllister place in the north of the township and was taken down when Catholics began to worship near Summitville.
2. 1848 — A brick church costing about $10,000 is built, a resident priest is stationed at St. John's, and Rev. James Conlon becomes the first pastor.
3. 1852 — The Cleveland and Pittsburgh Railroad is completed through the township and the Hastingsville post office is moved to Summitville, with Patrick Rogers as first postmaster there.
4. 1853 — Summitville is established, named for its elevated position near the Sandy Creek-Lake Erie divide.
5. 1863 — In the last days of Morgan's Raid, the Confederate cavalry escape a skirmish at Salineville in the direction of Summitville and are hotly pursued into Wayne Township, where Morgan is captured on David Burbick's farm near the township line.
6. 1872 — Priests stationed at Summitville serve the Catholics of Salineville until the brick St. Patrick's church is built under Rev. P. J. McGuire; Summitville priests also say monthly mass at Wellsville from about 1850 until 1876.
7. 1950 — The census counts 150 residents, its peak.
8. 1998 — The village combines its clerk and treasurer positions into a single elected office.
9. 2004 — Southern Local School District completes a renovation and expansion of its K-12 facility serving Summitville-area students.
10. 2010 — The census counts 135 residents, up from 108 in 2000.
11. 2020 — The census counts 110 residents.

Stories

A log store becomes St. John's

The Catholics of Franklin Township first gathered at the McAllister church near the township's northern line, a place attended by families from Franklin, Hanover and Center townships. When the Catholics of Franklin began to worship nearer Summitville, that church was taken down and a new one built in Hanover Township. In 1845 the Franklin congregation bought a log building near the later site of the Summitville church, which had been put up as a store, and made it a mission point visited by priests from other parishes. By 1848 the congregation had grown enough to raise a brick church costing about $10,000 and to have a priest stationed there, Rev. James Conlon. Priests stationed at Summitville later served Catholics at Wellsville and Salineville.

Photographs

Local history sources: en.wikipedia.org · commons.wikimedia.org · archive.org · archive.org

Groundwater wells (2 wells) The water here

• Guilford Lake Estates58% of residentsGroundwater wells (2 wells)
• Columbiana County-county Home Rd26% of residentsEast Cold Run Reservoir & Spring Valley Reservoir (Cold Run Creek)
• Buckeye Water District - Ohio River16% of residentsOhio River

Fire and EMS stations (1)

Shale and injection wells (1)

Facilities reporting toxic releases (1)

Money issues on the ballot since 2023: 1 of 1 passed.

Ballot issues

Elections for office

Winners in bold. Results from the county board of elections' official canvass unless marked.

Auditor of State record

• No fiscal caution, watch or emergency on the Auditor of State's lists.
• Basic Audit, 2024 to 2025, released 2026-09-01
• Basic Audit, 2022 to 2023, released 2024-11-12

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