Summit’s Martin to Sign Newly-Released Book at the Carter House

The following is a press release: 

A new book that features more than 200 vintage photos of historic Summit homes will make its debut at an author signing this weekend.

As part of Union County’s annual Four Centuries celebration, Summit Historical Society trustee Cynthia B. Martin, the book’s author, will sign copies of “Summit Historic Homes” on Saturday, Oct. 19, from 11 to 3, and on Sunday, Oct. 20, from 1 to 3. The event will take place at the society’s Carter House, 90 Butler Parkway.  Admission is free. The cost of the book is $21.99, and all of the author’s royalties will benefit the all-volunteer Summit Historical Society. For details about the book or the signing, call 908-277-1747.

“Summit Historic Homes” tells the story of the town’s early development by focusing on the expansion of the railroad and the houses built by city dwellers who moved to Summit as a result. In addition to more than 100 private homes that are highlighted in the Arcadia Publishing volume, also featured are well-known Summit sites such as the Beacon Hill Club, the Fortnightly Club, the DeBary Inn and the Reeves-Reed Arboretum.

The book’s author, a Madison native, has resided in Summit since 1988. She and her husband raised their three children in an 1800s home on Kent Place Boulevard. A former three-term member of Summit’s Common Council, Martin has served on many local volunteer organizations. In addition to her current position on the board of the Summit Historical Society, she is chair of the Summit Area YMCA Board of Trustees.

An art history major at Smith College, Martin said she has a long-time interest in decorative arts and architecture, which led her to earn a Certificate in Historic Preservation from Drew University in 2010. It was her studies there that prompted her to begin the research that resulted in “Summit Historic Homes.”

She said, “I hope the book will provide a lasting visual record of Summit’s residential architecture and give today’s residents an appreciation for Summit’s historic homes and their legacy.”