Summertown is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Lawrence County, Tennessee, United States. The population of Summertown was 866 at the 2010 census. The town has a ZIP Code of 38483. Some rural areas in neighboring Lewis and Maury counties also use a "Summertown" mailing address, but their population is not included in the Census figures.

Geography

Summertown is in northeastern Lawrence County and is bordered to the north by Lewis County and to the northeast by Maury County.

Tennessee State Route 20 State Route 20 (SR 20) is a long east–west primary State highway (US), state highway that begins in Dyersburg, Tennessee, Dyersburg and ending near Summertown, Tennessee, Summertown. SR 20 is Unsigned highway, unsigned and Concur ...

passes through the center of town, leading east to

U.S. Route 43 U.S. Route 43 (US 43) is a north–south United States Highway in the Southern United States, Southern states of Alabama and Tennessee. It travels from Prichard, Alabama, to Columbia, Tennessee. The highway's southern terminus is in Pr ...

and northwest to

Hohenwald Hohenwald is a city in and the county seat of Lewis County, Tennessee. The population was 3,757 at the 2010 census. The name "Hohenwald" is a German word that means "High Forest". Meriwether Lewis, of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, died and ...

. US-43 leads south to Lawrenceburg, the Lawrence county seat, and northeast to

Columbia Columbia may refer to: * Columbia (personification), the historical female national personification of the United States, and a poetic name for America Places North America Natural features * Columbia Plateau, a geologic and geographic region in ...

. According to the

U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, the Summertown CDP has an area of , all of it recorded as land. The community is drained by the North and South Forks of Saw Creek, a west-flowing tributary of the Buffalo River, which in turn flows northwest to the Duck River shortly before that river's mouth at the Tennessee River.

Demographics

Education

Summertown is home to two public schools. Summertown Elementary School educates students from kindergarten through 6th grade, while Summertown High School educates students from 7th through 12th grade. They both have an eagle as their mascot. Summertown athletic programs have been historically competitive on the state level, with state championships in volleyball, tennis, golf, softball, and baseball.

Tornadoes

The Summertown area historical tornado activity is slightly above Tennessee state average. It is 108% greater than the overall U.S. average. On May 18, 1995, an F-4 (max. wind speeds 207-260 mph) tornado a mile away from Summertown killed 3 people, injured 32 people and caused between $500,000 and $5,000,000 in damages. On April 16, 1998, an F-5 (max. wind speeds 261-318 mph) tornado right on Highway 43 in Summertown killed 3 people, injured 36 people and caused $13 million in damages. There have been several other tornadoes to come through Summertown but these are two of the worst.

Attractions and areas of interest

The following are located in or near Summertown: * The Farm, an

intentional community An intentional community is a voluntary residential community which is designed to have a high degree of social cohesion and teamwork from the start. The members of an intentional community typically hold a common social, political, religious, ...

* Plenty International, an environmental and human rights organization *

Stillhouse Hollow Falls State Natural Area Stillhouse Hollow Falls State Natural Area, located in Summertown, is a natural area in Maury County, Tennessee Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. ...

, a Tennessee natural area *

Turtle Hill Sangha Turtles are an order of reptiles known as Testudines, characterized by a special shell developed mainly from their ribs. Modern turtles are divided into two major groups, the Pleurodira (side necked turtles) and Cryptodira (hidden necked t ...

is located in Monterey, and is a community of the Nyingma school's Tibetan Buddhist students of

Khenchen Palden Sherab Rinpoche Khenchen Palden Sherab Rinpoche () (10 May 1938 – 19 June 2010), also known as "Khen Rinpoche," was a teacher, a scholar, a lama, and a Dzogchen master in the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism. He was considered by Penor Rinpoche to be one o ...

* Spiral Ridge Permaculture, A permaculture education and research center, nursery and design firm. * Wheelin in the Country An Off-Road Four-Wheelin Park for rock and hill climbing * McKamey Manor Haunted Attraction

References

Unincorporated communities in Tennessee Unincorporated communities in Lawrence County, Tennessee Census-designated places in Lawrence County, Tennessee Census-designated places in Tennessee {{LawrenceCountyTN-geo-stub