Summit, New Jersey

Summit is a cool town in New Jersey, like a special spot sitting on top of a big hill called the Second Watchung Mountain. It's part of a giant neighborhood called the New York metropolitan area. Think of it like being in a big city's backyard! Lots of people who live here like to travel to New York City for work, kind of like how you might travel to school each day.

Why 'Summit'? Well, it's a bit like reaching the very top of a playground slide! The town is located at a high point on the mountain. Another idea is that a long, long time ago, a railroad needed to go over the highest part of the land, and they called that spot 'the summit'. It's like finding the tippy-top of something!

Summit wasn't always a city. It started as a 'township' a long, long time ago, in 1869. That's older than your grandparents' grandparents! Over many years, it grew bigger and bigger, with more people moving in. In 1899, it officially became a city, like getting a special promotion! The number of people living there has grown a lot since then.

Summit is a busy place! It's a 'commercial hub,' which means it has lots of shops and businesses where people can buy things. It's also a 'commuter town,' meaning many people live there but travel to other places, like New York City, for their jobs. This makes Summit a really important spot for lots of people!