At first the area around Summit Creek was a grazing area for Parowan to the north. In the spring of 1858, Samuel T. Orton and other families moved to Summit Creek and began farming and tending bees, sheep and cattle. By July 1877 an LDS ward was organized in Summit. Sylvanus C. Hulet was its first bishop. Originally educating their children in a one-room log schoolhouse, it was upgraded later to a concrete building, then from 1920 to 1936, to a two-room brick schoolhouse for students up to the seventh grade.[3]: 184
Demographics
As of the census[4] of 2010, there were 160 people living in the CDP. There were 79 housing units. The racial makeup of the town was 92.5% White, 3.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 3.1% from some other race, and 1.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.1% of the population.
Climate
The climate in this area has mild differences between highs and lows, and there is adequate rainfall year-round. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Summit has a marine west coast climate, abbreviated "Cfb" on climate maps.[5]