Superior Business District

Written by Sue McKinney Anderson

Just one hour from Phoenix by car, but a world away in terms of beauty and quaintness, sits Superior.  When the mines closed years ago many people moved on and houses, as well as businesses, sat vacant and fell into a state of disrepair.  Not so today!  In recent years people, many of whom are artists and visionaries,  have been renovating the structures and creating a wonderful assortment of creative and “eclectic” homes and businesses.

Superior Business District

The weather is beautiful and the views are endless.  Each year the Chamber hosts a home and building tour in January that attracts approximately 1,000 people. Art, antiques and the famous Mata Ortiz potters from Mexico are all part of the event.  All go home happy and delighted they came.  Other festivals, including the Apache Leap mining festival, Cinco de Mayo, the Prickly Pear Festival, Noche de Vaquero (Night of the Cowboy) and Miracle on Main St. (Christmas parade and event) make Superior a great place to visit all year round.

Superior Mining Competition Drilling
Photo Courtesy Superior Chamber of Commerce

Soon, your visit won’t be complete without staying at the magnificent Magma Hotel, which is listed on the National Historic Registry, and will be opening shortly.  Bicylists, hikers, rock climbers, ATV lovers and equestrians have endless trails and areas to explore.  Great retail shops, galleries and restaurants will fill your every need.  We’re proud to staff an official Arizona Office of Tourism in Superior and welcome you to start your day at the red caboose on Hwy 60 or the Chamber of Commerce at 165 W Main St.  And of course no trip to this area would be complete without a visit to the beautiful Boyce Thompson Arboretum just two miles West of Downtown Superior.

Superior Mural

Trails galore with fabulous plants, trees, flowers and events. Tell us what you’re looking for and we’ll help you with your plans. Visit us online at www.superiorarizonachamber.org or better yet, in person.  We hope to see you soon!

Photo Courtesy of World’s Smallest Museum

We tend to focus on the things that make the loudest noises in our lives, but it’s important to take some time to appreciate the littler things, too. The World’s Smallest Museum hones in on this concept. The museum, standing at only 134 square feet displays common yet unique artifacts. A visit to the World’s Smallest Museum is a step back in time and a stroll down memory lane.

Included in the exhibit is a 1984 Compaq home computer, a Beatles concert poster, a 1960 letter from president-elect John F. Kennedy (to Jake Reaney), and the World’s Largest Apache Tear, which is a kind of rock.

Just outside of the museum is Waterfall Avenue and Memory Lane. These attractions are decorated with the artifacts of ordinary working equipment that have been recycled into fountains and waterfalls. It includes monuments to the unsung heroes and hardworking people of the world.