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Superior History

The History of superior arizona

The hub mine claim
of 1875

Superior began as a mining town with the Hub Mine claim in 1875 filed by W. Tuttle and the Irene Mine claim filed by P. Swain in 1876. These claims, together, became known as the Silver Queen Mine and by 1910 were owned by Colonel Boyce Thompson and renamed the Magma Copper Company. They had followed the opening, in 1875, of the famous, nearby, Silver King Mine founded by Mason, Long, Copeland and Regan that brought prospecting to the area.

The History of superior arizona

The magma smelter In 1914

Superior narrowly avoided becoming a ghost town when the Silver Queen and Silver King Mines were impacted by the change in the U.S. monetary standard in 1893 with the devaluation of silver from $1.50 to $.20 per ounce. This change from silver to gold killed many of the West’s silver mines. Fortunately, the miners looking for silver and gold also found copper, and with the founding of the Magma Copper Company, Superior continued to thrive. For 86 years, the Magma pulled copper and silver out of Superior’s mountains.

The History of superior arizona

The Boyce Thompson arboretum

Superior grew as more businesses evolved to serve the townspeople and ranching families. Nearby water from Queen Creek, water piped up from nearby Florence and a commerce base created by the ranchers and merchants that served the miners, kept Superior alive. This growth encouraged community involvement and activities that bonded people to Superior. Clubs and associations were formed, friendships forged, and more businesses built, including the Magma Hotel. Superior’s tourism boomed when Boyce Thompson, who was a self-made millionaire and mining magnate, established the Boyce Thompson Arboretum in 1923 to exhibit and study plants from all over the world.

The History of superior arizona

Main street & Magma Blvd

Superior is home to many resilient and self-reliant residents, many of whom are third generation descendants of the early settlers of the town. They are fiercely proud of their town, as are the newer arrivals. The artist community has brought the downtown area back to life, while revitalizing the historic buildings on Main Street and Magma Blvd with quaint new businesses. Hollywood has discovered this historic wild west town’s charm, as they have filmed a number of commercials and movies in the area including How The West Was Won, The Prophecy, U-Turn, The Fugitive and the PBS special Skin Walkers by Tony Hillerman.

The History of superior arizona

1982 The mine shut down

Some predicted that in 1982 when the town’s largest mine shut down it would mean the end of Superior and it, too, would become another Arizona ghost town. The following decade proved them wrong. The town had developed a much loved sustainable community in their beautiful high desert setting. The Magma Mine reopened in the 1990’s as the Resolution Copper Company. A copper dome was found 7,000 feet underground that is projected to be the largest copper vein in the United States, fourth-largest undeveloped copper deposit in the world, and is expected to revitalize Superior with employment and businesses.

The History of superior arizona

100+ year history & charm

Historic pictures of Superior show that the area has grown over its 100+ year history, but still retains its small town cultural and historic charm. Visitors who travel to Superior can see reminders of the glory days of mining and ranching in the town while enjoying the local shops, food, arts, and town activities such as Apache Leap Days and the Historic Home Tours that make Superior a great day trip and a walk back in time.

visit superior

learn more about the history of superior by visiting us today

To learn more about the history of Superior, visit the Bob Jones Museum or pick up a copy of the books When Silver was King by Jack San Felice and Superior and Queen Valley by Carol Schumacher and Danielle Tomerlin at local gift stores or from the authors through the QV Historical Society. To experience a mining themed Escape Room activity based on the history of the area, visit the Lost Dutchman Room at Escape Rooms Mesa owned by the Superior and Queen Valley book authors.

THE AMAZING BUSINESSES OF OUR COMMUNITY

SUPERIOR CHAMBER Businesses

JP Janitorial & Maintenance

Commericial and residential janitorial services. Carpet cleaning.; Janitorial, landscaping and business maintenance

Superior, AZ

Windmill Winery

Near Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona, the Windmill Winery is our naturally beautiful and historic setting for a breathtaking wedding, or a night out with family and friends. Overlook the Superstition Mountains, enjoy the cool air from our lakeside venue and sip a glass of Arizona-made wine from our lush property. Book a visit today to see how we make your Arizona experience unforgettable.

Our wedding venues have won more than 15 awards from WeddingWire.com and the Knot.com, including 2020 Best Of Weddings and Wedding Hall of Fame. Book a tour of at one of our two wedding sites: a lakeside house venue and a barn venue. Make your big day a dream come true with our historic site and customizable wedding venue packages.

Sip on local Arizona wines produced in Florence with Arizona grapes grown in our desert terrain. Enjoy Pinot Grigio, Granada, Zinfandel, Chardonnay, Moscato and new favorites like Pinotage, Alicante Bouschet and Barbera. Come sample wines with us, eat at our food trucks, enjoy live music and bring your friends for group events.

Florence, AZ

United Food Bank

United Food Bank’s history is deeply rooted in the East Valley and dates back to July of 1983 when it began operations as United Food Distribution Center, Inc. The Food Bank was started as a nonprofit joint venture among East Valley cities and their respective United Ways to gather and distribute food to East Valley organizations that were helping feed those in need. The Food Bank assisted 28 different community partners that first year, and some are still partners today like the Mesa Senior Center, The Apache Junction Food Bank, and the Chandler Christian Community Center.

In 1985, the Food Bank’s service geography expanded to its current area of Gila, Pinal and southern Apache and Navajo Counties along with the original service area in the East Valley of Maricopa County.

The Food Bank has grown to meet the increased need from people in our service area. Our service area of 19,608 square miles includes some of the most remote areas in the state. Places like Sanders, Arizona, where there are only a couple of places to purchase food, and the next town is 40 miles away.

To serve the most people possible, United Food Bank collaborates with more than 145 partner agencies and programs helping feed families, children, and seniors.

Mesa, AZ
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