Summerville is a quiet town with a welcoming, familial vibe
Summerville, the seat of Chattooga County, is a country town that encapsulates a small-town atmosphere. “The entire county has a population of just around 25,000, and Summerville is only a little over 4,000,” says Realtor Joanna Jackson, broker and owner at Remax Real Estate Center and a lifelong resident of Chattooga County. “It’s a rural community, and I think the main appeal, when people are relocating out here, is getting away from the congestion of the bigger cities.” The town is so far from large shopping centers that residents often need to travel to neighboring counties; however, there is a strong local commercial footprint supported by a warm and welcoming community. “It’s a nice small town where everybody knows everybody,” Jackson adds. “It’s a slower pace of life out here, but I love to come back home to it.”
Older homes and custom builds with a wide range of styles
The residential streets of Summerville wind off the main road into the cover of tall, mature trees. They are lined with a mixture of historic Victorian houses, historic Colonial Revivals, cozy cottages and minimalist ranch-style homes. “You see a lot of older housing, which investors are buying, rehabbing and bringing up to date,” Jackson says. “And you might see some new houses going up in neighborhoods that have already been developed, but where there are still lots being sold.” Homes in need of renovations can cost between $30,000 and $110,000, varying based on the extent of necessary repairs. Move-in ready houses tend to price anywhere from $115,000 to around $400,000, generally depending on build year, square footage and number of bedrooms.
Festivals, sports, hiking and fishing at nearby parks
The Summerville Recreation Department maintains facilities in the area. The Summerville Recreation Center, near the high school, has multiple baseball diamonds, tennis courts and pickleball courts, while the Fairway Recreation Center, on the north side of town, has a small playground, a baseball field and a basketball court. “Dowdy Park, next to the railroad turntable, has a playground for children, a walking track, and hosts festivals with different local vendors throughout the year,” Jackson says. “It could be people selling hand-sewn quilts, candlemakers or local artists.” The town is also close to James H. “Sloppy” Floyd State Park, a 561-acre green space. “It’s located right at the base of Taylor Ridge. People go there for hiking, fishing or even the picnic pavilions you can rent out for family events,” Jackson says. “There’s kayaks and canoes that are rentable, and the Marble Mine Trail that takes hikers to this neat old mine with a little waterfall.”
Summerville supports local business owners
Because Summerville is so rural, shopping at major centers and malls requires residents to travel. “If we want to go to a place like TJ Maxx or Home Depot, we have to go to a neighboring county,” Jackson says. “But we do have a Walmart, an Ingles Market and a Marvin’s hardware store, so we can get everything we need. And we’re very supportive of our mom-and-pop places. We have plenty of restaurants that serve home-cooked meals where you get your meat and vegetables.” These include Jim’s Family Restaurant, a longstanding community staple, and boutiques like Hayden Taylor Designs. “The owner there has a wide variety of things you’d see in larger cities, like Brighton jewelry,” Jackson adds.
Scenic train rides and folk art museum draw visitors
Every year, visitors come to Summerville to admire the restored Summerville Train Depot, a museum that celebrates the railroad’s contribution to Chattooga County’s history. From May through November, the Tennessee Valley Railroad offers scenic train rides along the historic route from Chattanooga to the heart of Summerville. “Another big draw is the Howard Finster Vision House Museum,” Jackson says. “He was a folk artist who maintained a garden with over 40,000 pieces of his art, and the museum holds a festival every year to showcase his work.”
Agriculture education is important at Chattooga High
Summerville students attend Chattooga County Schools, a district that scores an overall B-minus from Niche. Limited school choice is available through in-district open enrollment for elementary and middle schools, with acceptance subject to available space. Leroy Massey Elementary and Summerville Middle Schools both receive Cs. Chattooga High, the only high school in the district, earns a C-plus. Agriculture is an important aspect of life in Chattooga County. “We have hundreds of acres of farmland throughout the county,” says Jackson. “The high school has an agricultural department that is great for the students.”
Residents rely on Highway 27 for access to neighboring areas
U.S. Highway 27 is Summerville’s main thoroughfare, connecting the town to neighboring counties and states. “If you go south on 27, you’re heading to Floyd County,” Jackson says. “If you take it northbound, you’re heading to Walker County and into Chattanooga, Tennessee.” Chattanooga is about an hour’s drive north of Summerville, while Atlanta is about 2 hours to the southeast. The closest major medical center is the Atrium Health Floyd Chattooga Emergency Department in nearby Trion.
