[5] Notable people from Summum include country musician and comedian Smiley Burnette, who was born there in 1911.

Summum and its strip mine acquired nationwide notoriety in 1953, when wealthy local farmer, businessman and politician Fay Rawley disappeared.

[5] Rawley's disappearance spurred a massive multi-year search led by Fulton County Sheriff Virgil Ball, who took office in 1954.

[5] A dragline excavator was used to dig out a 150-foot opening where it was believed Rawley's car might have been covered by mining activity.

[5] However, when the searchers' drill struck a large metal object, Peabody Coal demanded that the search be called off, out of fear of potential liability if Rawley's body was found.