Accounts of Summit's early days rarely fail to mention Nicholas D.C. Moller, who is described as a wealthy New York merchant who moved to town in the 1850s, bought up extensive acreage in West Summit and cut Kent Place Boulevard through his properties. Few other details are provided. Curious to know more about Moller (the house I live in was built by his son Fredrick on land inherited from his father), I delved into the Summit Historical Societies archives, conducted extensive research on-line and sought the guidance of an historian at Mystic Seaport. Through these efforts I was able to to uncover more about Moller and his Family.

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Tucked away in a cramped space in the Summit Fire House on Broad Street is an aging icon of the city's past. Chemical Engine No.1 ,as it is known, became part of the city's lore and tradition when it was purchased in 1927 from the Seagrave Fire Apparatus Company of Columbus Ohio. The new fire truck was officially designated as a 750 gallon combination pumping engine and hose car with water tank. The price was $11,500, according to an official of the Summit Fire Department comparable engines of today are in the $500,00 to $700,00 range.

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In 1909, a Newark firm called the Civic Publicity Co. published a softcover guide to Summit. most likely to be used by real estate agents and builders. The booklet describes the city as "an ideal suburban home town." and features photos of schools houses of worship, hotels, businesses and municipal buildings.

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When it was announced that new office building called thee Claremont Corporate Center would be built on the site of the Risk mansion on the corner of Morris and Springfield avenues a reference was made to the fact that the stone structure would be preserved, noting that it "it was the residence of a prominent physician of the day who was a pillar of early Summit  civic life." Even a cursory look into the history of the  Risk name reveals this is quite an understatement.

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In 1927, Summit's local newspaper - The Summit Herald - called for the formation of an Historical Society.  Two years later, on the evening of Feb 4, 1929, a group of citizens met in the office of Judge Arthur W. Hicks on Beechwood Road and decided to form such a Society.

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Although little know today in her time Marguerite Gabrielle Courtot was regarded as one of the screen's greatest beauties, starring i many of her seventy-three films from 1913-1924.

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Patrick Joseph Kelly (Pat) came into this world on July 31, 1891. He was born in Summit. Pat had three sisters (Katherine, Mary, and Esther) and a brother (Nicholas). Their home was located at 242 Morris Avenue.

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by Robert A. Hagerman

Arther James Cotterell (Art) has played and important role in the history of Summit for the past seventy-none years. As a family man, a teacher, a Summit High School baseball coach and as past president (twice) of the Summit Historical Society, his dedication, his value system and his integrity continues to be felt in the minds of the students and the people who have known and worked with him throughout the years.

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"It is worthwhile to make a deliberate effort to keep up the reading of noteworthy books... In following the written thoughts of his own age, each man's individual life is enriched and deepened... Thinking along with a great thinker brings, as it heritage, a surer poser of thinking for oneself."

The above quote was written by Miss Mabel R. Haines (Summit Librarian 1913-1914) for the Summit Herald in one of her columns of book reviews entitled: "The Library Shelf."

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Perhaps many of you have seen the truck of Thomas W. Fish Landscape Nurseryman Inc. around town of have even had Tom plant flowers, shrubs or tress on your property over the years. He has been in business since 1977. But did you know that the Fish family has had a presence in the Summit area for the past century and a half?

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