Small-town charm and a walkable downtown define Summit
The little town of Summit’s slogan, “Reach the Summit,” references the community’s early days, when this area was thought to be the highest point between New Orleans and Jackson, Tennessee. Brookhaven, a city nearby, is the actual peak, but Summit is highly sought after for its vibrant downtown shopping and dining scene, seasonal events and friendly small-town vibe. “It’s a stroll-down-the-street-waving type of place,” says longtime local Lisa Dillon, an Epique Realtor with a decade of experience working in Pike County. “Everybody knows everybody here. Summit is really a great small town.”
Single-family homes sell for under $300,000
Cottages, Colonial Revivals, New Traditionals and ranch-style homes with broad front lawns and long, often gravel, driveways are common. Tall loblolly and slash pines shade sloped lots and narrow, gridded streets. Prices typically range from under $100,000 to about $280,000. Large homes on multiple acres of land can sell for nearly $340,000.
Lake Bevin and the streams nearby are prone to flooding. The risk of high water and wind damage is elevated during hurricane season. Winters here are mild; low temperatures rarely drop below freezing. Summers are hot and humid, with average highs reaching 90 degrees.
Annual events, from the Summit Fall Festival to Smokin’ on the Tracks
Summit hosts a Mardi Gras parade at the start of Lent every year, as well as an annual Christmas parade in December. The annual Summit Fall Festival takes place in October. “There are probably 100 vendors on the main drag, Robb Street, with stuff for the kids, food, pottery, clothing, food trucks, live music, everything,” Dillon says. Smokin’ on the Tracks, held every April, is another downtown vendor fair, and Summit’s biggest annual event, centered on a barbecue cook-off. Proceeds from the competition benefit various organizations in the Pike County area.
Shopping and dining in downtown Summit
“There are tons of antique and consignment stores, boutiques and great little restaurants all down Robb Street, the main drag of Summit,” Dillon says. There’s an Ace Hardware near the corner of Robb and Laurel streets, close to Spitfire’s Music & More, an instrument and bookshop. Unique Treasures, Southwest Vendors Mall and Rustic Charm Vendor Gallery are flea market-style antique stores. Summit Mercantile is another antiques, gifts and home goods shop, near clothing boutiques like Be You and Cornerstone. La Mariposa Mercedes Café is a popular Mexican Restaurant; Taters is a favorite for diner fare. Dillon recommends Summit Donuts & Kolaches for sweet treats. “They are the sweetest people – they always greet you by name and ask about your trips,” she says. There’s a Piggly Wiggly near downtown, and more chain retailers, including Walmart Supercenter and Lowe’s, in McComb.
McComb High offers dual enrollment classes
The McComb School District earns a C grade from Niche and allows controlled inter-district open enrollment. Many attend the Kennedy Early Childhood Center for preschool and kindergarten (B-minus), then Summit Elementary for first through fourth grades (C-plus). Older students attend Higgins Middle for fifth and sixth grades (C-plus), Denman Junior High for seventh and eighth, then McComb High for ninth through 12th (both earn Cs). High schoolers can take dual enrollment classes at Southwest Mississippi Community College. The A-minus-rated community college is a big regional employer, and Dillon says football games draw crowds of local Bears fans. “It’s a great school, and we love our Friday night football here.”
Outdoor recreation at McComb parks, Percy E. Quin State Park nearby
Edgewood Park and Douglas Park, both in McComb, are just a few miles south of most homes. Edgewood Park has a playground, picnic areas, a pond and a baseball field. Douglas Park has a grassy soccer field. Percy E. Quin State Park, less than 15 miles away, has an 18-hole golf course, a nature trail and a playground. Lake Tangipahoa, in the heart of the park, is a popular fishing and boating spot, with a covered marina and fish cleaning station. Information on entrance fees and rental rates for the marina is available online and at the park office.
Interstate 55 connects Summit to New Orleans and Jackson
The Southwest Mississippi Regional Medical Center, a top local employer, is in McComb, less than 3 miles away. Interstate 55 runs south to Louisiana, toward Baton Rouge and New Orleans. Airports in both cities, including Baton Rouge Metropolitan and New Orleans International, are within about 110 miles of Summit. The Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport is just over 80 miles north via I-55. Amtrak train service from McComb Station also connects directly to New Orleans. Mount Zion Economic Community Center, Inc. provides demand-response public transit service to Pike County.
