[10] The first settlement in Summerville began following the American Revolutionary War; it was called Pineland Village in 1785.

The town's official seal reads "Sacra Pinus Esto (The Pine is Sacred)".

[12] The 1886 Charleston earthquake affected Summerville, which resulted in a fire that reduced many of the buildings in the town square to ruins.

[13] During this earthquake, the Old White Meeting House Ruins and Cemetery, located near Summerville, was also destroyed.

[15] In 1899, the International Congress of Physicians (or "Tuberculosis Congress"[11]) listed Summerville as one of the world's two best areas for treatment of and recovery from lung and throat disorders, due to its dry and sandy location and the many pine trees that release turpentine derivatives into the air.

[16] In 2019 Dorchester County announced that it was redeveloping 500 N. Main Street, the biggest tract of land in Downtown Summerville.

It is bordered to the east by the town of Lincolnville and to the southeast by the city of North Charleston.

Summerville's town limits extend south as far as the Ashley River next to Old Fort Dorchester State Historical Park.

It often coincides with the annual Cooper River Bridge Run held in Charleston the same weekend.

Area restaurants are featured in the festival's "Taste" section, where tickets can be purchased to sample their offerings.

"[24] A recipe for sweet iced tea published in Texas native Marion Cabell's 1879 cookbook Housekeeping in Old Virginia has been cited as evidence against this claim.

Summerville has had five mayors in the past fifteen years: Berlin G. Myers (1972-2011); Bill Collins (2011-2016); Wiley Johnson (2016-2020); Ricky Waring (2020-2024); and Russ Touchberry (2024 - ).

The Town of Summerville Fire & Rescue comprises 97 full-time firefighters and 19 volunteers.

In 2023 the Summerville Police Department received 94,446 calls for service resulting in 2,030 arrests.