Summit Hill is a former coal town in the Panther Valley
In the Panther Valley area of Carbon County, Summit Hill is a rural borough and one of the oldest coal towns in the country. Near the end of the 18th century, the Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company began some of its earliest mining in Summit Hill after anthracite coal was discovered in the eastern end of present-day Pisgah Mountain. While the coal industry played a major role in establishing and defining this area, it no longer actively drives the community and its economy like it once did. “Other than some minor coaling done in nearby Lansford, the coal industry in this region has almost fizzled out at this point,” says Timothy Klotz, a local Broker/Owner of TNT Premier Real Estate who has over two decades of experience selling properties in the Panther Valley area. “Very few homes here are still coal-powered; most have converted to electric.” According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are approximately 3,100 residents living in Summit Hill as of 2020. Many of Summit Hill’s current residents are drawn by the borough’s relatively affordable housing costs, small-town community and slower pace of life in the countryside. The borough has an overall CAP Index Crime Score of 4 out of 10, which is on par with the national average.
Affordable traditional-style housing options
With a median home sale price of $140,000, Summit Hill’s housing is relatively affordable when compared to home price medians at the state and national levels. Approximately 60% of the borough’s housing stock comprises single-family homes, and the remainder is made up mostly of townhouses and duplex properties. American Foursquares and traditional styles are common, but there are also homes in the heart of Summit Hill that feature Victorian and Craftsman-style architecture. In the more rural parts of the borough, residents can find larger lots with farmhouses, ranch styles and even a handful of colonial-styles. Turnkey single-family homes typically range from $100,000 to a little over $400,000, with houses over $300,000 usually located on larger plots of land in the borough’s countryside. Multifamily properties like townhouses and duplexes in good condition can cost between $50,000 and $180,000. Low-cost investment properties – often neglected homes built during the early to mid-20th century –also regularly come on the market in Summit Hill, with prices typically sitting below the $100,000 mark.
Zoning for the Panther Valley School District
Summit Hill is zoned for the Panther Valley School District, which receives an overall C-minus rating from Niche. Klotz says that the region’s name, Panther Valley, comes from the school district, which serves the boroughs of Lansford and Nesquehoning in addition to Summit Hill. Kindergarten through third-grade students can kickstart their education at Panther Valley Elementary, while grades four through six can attend Panther Valley Intermediate. Panther Valley Junior/Senior High School serves students in grades seven through 12. All three schools receive C ratings. The district has 11 sports, most offering teams at the varsity, junior varsity and junior high levels. Private, faith-based education options are located in the nearby borough of Tamaqua: St. Jerome Regional School, which is not yet rated by Niche, serves students in prekindergarten through eighth grade, while Marian Catholic High School is a B-plus-rated institution for secondary students.
Borough parks and recreation at Mauch Chunk Lake
Summit Hill’s neighborhood green spaces include spots like Memorial Park and Ludlow Park, which have shaded lawns, walking paths and park benches. The local Little League team practices and plays games at Trooper Philip C. Melley Memorial Field, which also has some playground equipment, like a swing set, and an adjacent basketball court. On the opposite end of town is Phillip Ginder Field, an open, multi-purpose athletic space with a playground right next to it. When the weather gets warm, residents flock to the Mauch Chunk Lake Park, which has a covered picnic pavilion and a wide sandy beach along the lakefront. Residents can spend their day at the beach, relaxing in the sun or swimming in Mauch Chunk Lake’s cool waters. People can also rent non-motorized boats like canoes, kayaks and paddleboats to take out on the lake. Mauch Chunk Lake Park offers access to the pedestrian-only Switchback Railroad Trail, which extends nearly 13 miles between Summit Hill and the nearby town of Jim Thorpe. The trailhead in Jim Thorpe is located next to the Lehigh River and Lehigh Gorge Trail, part of the larger Lehigh Gorge State Park.
Limited shopping and dining in Summit Hill
Commercial amenities in Summit Hill are mostly limited to a few local dining spots and gas station convenience stores like Miners Market. Restaurants include family-friendly eateries like The Mansion House and Russo’s Pizzeria, as well as a couple of sports bars like The Batter’s Box. Two miles up the road, Boyer’s Food Market in Lansford sells basic groceries and household items. “For the most part, if people in Summit Hill need to go shopping or run errands, they’re probably going to go to Lehighton or Tamaqua,” Klotz says. The Carbon Plaza Mall in Lehighton is 10 miles away and has big-box retailers like Walmart, Big Lots, Lowe’s Home Improvement and Marshalls. Tamaqua is a 15-minute drive from Summit Hill and has a small downtown area with local businesses, boutiques and a range of dining options.
Driving through Carbon County
The only numbered thoroughfare that runs through Summit Hill is Pennsylvania Route 902, a two-lane road that runs less than a mile outside the borough to merge with U.S. Route 209 in Lansford. Residents can take Route 209 to Tamaqua, where they can merge onto the north-south Pennsylvania Route 309. While Summit Hill is a primarily car-dependent community, the Lehigh and Northampton Transportation Authority (LANta) does offer limited bus routes through the borough that stop at popular spots like Mauch Chunk Lake Park. Klotz notes that Summit Hill commuters are a good 45 to 50-minute drive away from the Lehigh Valley, where major employers and urban hubs like Allentown are located. The Lehigh Valley International Airport outside Allentown offers commercial flights. Residents are 3 miles from St. Luke’s Hospital – Miners Campus in Coaldale, which has a 24-hour emergency department and is an accredited Level IV Trauma Center.
