Superior Arizona

Superior is in Central Arizona . It is in Pinal County. Superior is in a mountainous setting. There are many imposing peaks such as Picket Post, Apache Leap and Iron Mountain soaring 6,056 feet. The town is located on U.S. Highway 60, at the junction of State Highway 177. It is 60 miles east of Phoenix.

Overview:
The rugged mountains surrounding Superior cause one wonder, just how could copper ever be found in this harsh terrain. Copper mining made this town. Today Superior has a population of 3,485. The town sits at an elevation of 2,882 feet. The warm southwest climate has a winter low temperature of 43 degrees and a summer high temperature of 97 degrees. The scenery is superb with dramatic formations and rocky pinnacles. Visitors will enjoy learning about the history of the area, along with visiting the nearby arboretum.

Community Features:
Superior features several attractions. The Boyce Thompson Southwest Arboretum is only four miles from town. The arboretum is world famous for its collection of 10,000 desert cacti, flowers and trees. The 350 acres contain rare beautiful plants and flowers with special attention given to the southwest flora. You won’t want to miss a tour of Picket Post House. This is the mansion built by William Boyce Thompson, the copper magnate in the 1920’s. The mansion is listed on the National Register of Historical Places. The arboretum’s location on the edge of Picket Post Mountain makes it a perfect setting for plants. The Superior Historical Society has created the Bob Jones Museum. The museum is inside the home of Bob Jones, who was Arizona ’s sixth governor.
You will enjoy the outdoor activity near town. Oak Flats Campground is east of Apache Leap Mountain. It is a great spot for campers, hikers and rock climbers. The campground offers picnic tables, grills and pit toilets. There is no water available at the site. Oak Flats is located four miles east of Superior on U.S. Highway 60, then turn onto Magma Mine Road.

History:

Many were in search of silver in the late 1800’s. There were rumors that the area around where Superior is today was an excellent place to look. Then in 1870, silver was discovered and the Silver King Mine was established. The Silver King became the richest silver mine in Arizona ’s history.
This caused more to prospectors to look for the precious mineral. During a search in 1880, an outcropping was found near Superior. The ore wasn’t as rich as the Silver King Mine, so the mine was named the Silver Queen.

In 1900, George Lobb arrived in the area. He laid out a town and called it Hastings. At this same time, there were many mines scattered in the hills around Superior. Hastings was a central location to most of these mines. One influential mine located near town was the Lake Superior and Arizona Mine. The mine was named after its investors living in Michigan. Lake Superior and Arizona Mine boosted the economy and increased the town’s size. So in the mine’s honor, the town changed its name from Hastings to Superior. Lobb became the first postmaster of Superior in 1902.

In 1912, Boyce Thompson bought the Silver Queen Mine and established the Magma Copper Queen. His mine discovered that underneath the silver cap was copper. The Magma Copper Queen Mine soon became a great copper producer. A narrow gauge railroad was built in 1914. The Magma Arizona Railroad was once the longest steam operated common carrier in the United States. Later, a smelter was constructed in 1924.

Boyce Thompson began to build his 26-room mansion in the nearby foothills of Picket Post Mountain in the 1920’s. He also developed the land around his home. Today, visitors can tour Boyce Thompson Arboretum where more than 1,500 species of plants from all over the world thrive.

The mine remained in operation for 47 years. Then in 1971, the Magma Copper Company smelter closed and later in 1982, the mine closed its doors. The Magma Copper Queen Mine had taken out $25 million worth of copper ore. However, the mine did reopen in 1990 and has a number of employees.

There is a legend still told in Superior. It is about the Apache Leap Mountain, which is located on the eastern side of Queen Creek Canyon on U.S. Highway 60, east of town by the Queen Creek Bridge and Tunnel. The story began in the 1870’s, when a group of 75 Apaches warriors were cornered at the top of the mountain by the cavalry detachment from Camp Pinal. The Apaches did not want to surrender. Unwilling to face the humiliation of surrendering, they leapt from the mountain to their death on the rocks below. Visitors traveling by will see the mountain face is streaked with red. The legend doesn’t end there. Upon hearing of the deaths, the Apache women became so upset that they cried tears that turned to stone. Today, there are black, pearly stones that can be found nearby. These stones have been appropriately named “Apache Tears.”

The town of Superior was incorporated in 1976. Today Superior has mining, trade and service as influences on the economy. Tourism is becoming a bigger part of the town.