Summit is the northernmost city of Union County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, located within the New York metropolitan area.

[21] In the late 19th century, the area began shifting from farmland to wealthy estates; in 1892, renowned architect C. Abbott French cleared away a crest of a "summit ridge", removing "an impenetrable tangle of wild vines ... and myriads of rattlesnakes", to build a house with a view of New York City, The Times Building, and the Brooklyn Bridge.

[26] During this time, Summit was the home of America's "antivice crusader", Anthony Comstock, who moved there about 1880 and built a house in 1892 at 35 Beekman Road, where he died in 1915.

[30][31] In the 19th century, Summit served as a nearby getaway spot for wealthy residents of New York City in search of fresh air.

Weekenders or summer vacationers would reach Summit by train and relax at large hotels and smaller inns and guest houses.

"[39] There were disputes between Summit's commuters and the Lackawanna railroad about walkways; in one incident in 1905, "a number of passengers seeking to board the 6:35 train found their way barred.

[47] Glatt would then go on to be elected Summit's 27th, and first Democratic, mayor in 2003, marking a shift in the city becoming politically competitive between the two parties.

"[48] Crime is generally not bad in the city; the summer 2010 assault of Abelino Mazariego-Torres during a robbery attempt gone awry shocked residents in what one person described as a "very small and very peaceful town."

[48] Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the city include Brantwood Park and Tall Oaks.

[52][53][54] The city has long been popular with traders, investment bankers, and money managers, with nearly 20% of Summit's residents working in finance and real estate.

[76] In 2019, the city was encouraging artists, including singer-songwriters, to perform at local venues in the downtown area, as part of its Summit Street Sounds program.

[84][85] Approved in December 2020,[85] the park's creation is fully funded by foundation grants and individual and corporate donations.

[86][87] Beyond its Summit portion, area residents have pushed for the full abandoned RVRR Main Line to become a rail trail.

[88][89] The rail trail would run eastbound from the Overlook Medical Center on the edge of downtown Summit as the Summit Park Line and then head south along the old railbed through Springfield, Union, and Kenilworth and ending at the southwest edge of Roselle Park at the Cranford border.

The New Jersey Department of Transportation, which owns the railbed, has been working to clear its southern end for possible use as a trail.

[99][100][101][102][103][104] In February 2021, the common council selected Lisa K. Allen from a list of three candidates nominated by the Republican municipal committee to fill the Second Ward seat expiring in December 2022 that had been held by Stephen Bowman until he resigned from office.

[106] In November 2011, Republicans swept all the open seats, with Ellen Dickson elected mayor and Gregory Drummond, Patrick Hurley and Robert Rubino sweeping the three council seats, giving full control of city government back to the Republican party.

[109] In November 2019, Susan Hairston was sworn in to the First Ward seat expiring in December 2020 that became vacant following the death of Matthew Gould.

[114] The engineering division manages city infrastructure such as roads, curbs, sewers, and provide support to the planning and zoning boards.

[114] The city runs a municipal disposal area / solid waste transfer station where recyclables are collected, including bulky trash; residents must have a town-generated sticker on their cars to use this facility.

[122] For the 2024-2025 session, the 21st legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Jon Bramnick (R, Westfield) and in the General Assembly by Michele Matsikoudis (R, New Providence) and Nancy Munoz (R, Summit).

[124] As of 2025[update], Union County's County Commissioners are: Rebecca Williams (D, Plainfield, 2025),[125] Joesph Bodek (D, Linden, 2026),[126] James E. Baker Jr. (D, Rahway, 2027),[127] Michele Delisfort (D, Union Township, 2026),[128] Sergio Granados (D, Elizabeth, 2025),[129] Bette Jane Kowalski (D, Cranford, 2025),[130] Vice Chair Lourdes M. Leon (D, Elizabeth, 2026),[131] Alexander Mirabella (D, Fanwood, 2027)[132] and Chair Kimberly Palmieri-Mouded (D, Westfield, 2027).

[133][134] Constitutional officers elected on a countywide basis are: Clerk Joanne Rajoppi (D, Union Township, 2025),[135][136] Sheriff Peter Corvelli (D, Kenilworth, 2026)[137][138] and Surrogate Christopher E. Hudak (D, Clark, 2027).

As a Type I school district, the board's trustees are appointed by the mayor to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either two or three members up for reappointment each year.

[164][165][166][167][168][169] Summit has sports programs for youth including basketball, baseball, soccer, and football leagues through the Recreation Center.

[187] Summit, along with many suburban communities in the United States, adopted a policy of zoning ordinances requiring a single-family house on a large lot and could thereby "exclude any undesirable influences that might erode property values", a requirement that effectively excluded apartment buildings and multi-family dwellings, and tended to raise the price of houses.

One study found that since 1945, the single-family house on a large lot zoning mechanism "has been increasingly used in suburban and rural areas to safeguard particular vested interests.

"[189] He elaborated in 2006: "there's an ever-diminishing corner of the city akin to the so-called slums of Beverly Hills, where middle-income homeowners like me can take advantage of the schools and services of Summit without the million-dollar price tags so ubiquitous on the other side of the Midtown Direct tracks.

One reporter wrote: "The train line dominates Summit, bisecting its handsome commercial district from the town green on a sunken track, like a Dutch canal.

[214] Lakeland Bus Lines (Route 78) provides direct service to and from Manhattan during peak commuting hours.