Town file
Summerville, Georgia
Summerville, Georgia (Chattooga County, Georgia) is the town in one episode of Small Town Murder, the comedy true-crime podcast: episode 599, "Madness Of A Murderous Maniac" (22 May 2025).
- Town
- Summerville
- County
- Chattooga County
- State
- Georgia
- Country
- USA
- Episodes
- 599
- Approximate location
- 34.479, -85.349
Episode 599 / 22 May 2025 / 184 min / full
Madness Of A Murderous Maniac
"Somerville, Georgia. This is in northwest Georgia, way up in the corner... This is in Chattuga County." about 0:04:43
The case: Murder of Patricia Ann Booher (January 23, 2000). Read the case file.
The figures, as told in 2025
- Population
- 4,389
- Median age
- about 41
- Median household income
- $23,827
- Median home value
- $152,300
- Two-bedroom rent
- $760 a month
- Cost of living
- about $72
- Religious
- under 50%
- Property crime
- ▼ about half the national average
- Violent crime
- ▼ about one quarter of the national average
History, in brief
- Founded in 1838 as the seat of the newly formed Chattooga County. about 0:05:47
- Incorporated as a town in 1939 and as a city in 1909. about 0:06:00
- Named Summerville because it was a popular summer resort. about 0:06:05
- A lot of Civil War action happened around here; James says the march to the sea started with Summerville. about 0:06:18
- The biggest battle was the Battle of Trion Factory, fought in September 1863 where present-day First Street is, near the site of the East Trion Church of God. about 0:06:34
- In 2009 the Chattooga County Camp 507, Sons of Confederate Veterans, the Missionary Ridge Camp 63, Sons of Union Veterans, and local groups erected a memorial to the first battle of Trion Factory and the soldiers in unmarked graves from both sides. about 0:06:55
- A Confederate general, brother-in-law to Mary Todd Lincoln, fought here and was killed five days after the Battle of Trion Factory at Chickamauga. about 0:07:42
The reviews read out
4 stars
"A very small community where everyone knows everyone, with very limited activities because of how small it is; many people ride through without a glance, but it will always be the reviewer's beloved hometown."about 0:08:21
3 stars
"An old town of around 4,000 people; the reviewer's mother's family lives there and it was home after his parents' divorce; after 12 years he enjoys having family close, but the roads in his predominantly black neighbourhood are full of potholes while nicer neighbourhoods are paved smooth."about 0:08:52
1 star
"Summerville should be graveled over and fenced off like an old factory so the crackheads cannot get in; it is a filter point on the Olazapine Trail, the river is incredibly polluted and the reviewer has been an unfortunate resident for two years."about 0:09:57
Nearest Small Town Murder towns
- Rome, Georgia17 miles
- Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia32 miles
- Whiteside, Tennessee36 miles
- Section, Alabama37 miles
- Gadsden, Alabama50 miles
- Jacksonville, Alabama52 miles
Everything here is as told in the episode, on the date it went out; figures and places may have changed since. Endings are covered: open an episode and use the spoiler switch to read them.