Superior's history is one of coal mining. The first mines in the area were developed in the late 19th century. Coal was discovered on the Hake family farm in 1864, and recollections of members of pioneer families in Superior, including the Hakes and Autreys, are preserved as part of the Maria Rogers Oral History Program at the Carnegie Library for Local History in Boulder, Colorado.[7] The town was reportedly named after its superior quality of coal.[8]
Mining was the major force in Superior's history until the Industrial Mine closed in 1945. Subsequently, many people moved out of the area and the Town evolved into a quiet ranching and farming community. Superior's population hovered around 250 until the late 1990s, when subdivisions were built in the town and the population rose dramatically to 9,011 by 2000.
On December 30, 2021, the Marshall Fire, the most destructive fire in Colorado's history, destroyed over 1000 homes in Superior, the neighboring city of Louisville, and portions of unincorporated Boulder County. In Superior, approximately 378 homes (14% of the single-family homes in the town) were destroyed and 58 were damaged, 7 commercial properties were destroyed and 30 damaged, and there were 2 fatalities.[9][10][11][12][13]
The fire started in Boulder County land to the west and was driven by 60–100 mph (97–161 km/h) wind gusts across extremely dry grasses and fuels before reaching the town.[14] It spread rapidly and unexpectedly, prompting the temporary evacuation of 13,000 people in Superior and 21,000 in Louisville.[15]
According to the official investigation performed by the Boulder County Sheriff, the fire started from two separate sources of ignition.[16] The first was a trash fire set six days earlier on land near the intersection of Marshall Road and State Highway 93 owned by Twelve Tribes. Its remaining embers were uncovered and reignited by high winds on the day of the fire. The second source was power lines on the western side of the Marshall Mesa trailhead owned by Excel. A line became unmoored from its supports and subsequent arcing caused sparks that ignited dry fuels on the ground. No criminal charges were filed.
Vigorous recovery and rebuilding efforts are ongoing as of June 2023, supported in part by a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) disaster declaration and numerous local government and nonprofit organizations.[17][18][19][20][21]
According to the United States Census Bureau as of 2021, Superior has a total area of 3.972 sq mi (10.29 km2), of which 3.933 sq mi (10.186 km2) is land and 0.039 sq mi (0.101 km2) is water.[22]
As of 2023, Superior has 788.2 acres (319.0 ha) of parks and open space, which is about 31% of its total land area. This includes owned natural space, natural space under conservation easements, and developed open space. Recreational trails (on-road, hard, and soft) extend for 29.75 mi (47.88 km). Recreational amenities include 13 playgrounds, 6 pickleball courts, 4 tennis courts, 3 multipurpose fields, 3 baseball/softball fields, 2 outdoor pools, 3 basketball courts, 2 sand volleyball courts, 1 dog park, 1 bike park, 1 skate park, and 1 disk golf course.[27]
Age distribution estimates showed 5.6% of the population under age 5, 29.2% under age 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 28.5% from 25 to 44, 28.4% from 45 to 64, and 7.4% 65 or older. Females were 50.9% of the population, and the median age was 36.3 years.[29]
The racial makeup of the town was 76.1% White alone, 69.9% White alone and not Hispanic
or Latino, 18.8% Asian alone, 6.9% Hispanic or Latino, and 3.6% two or more races, with less than 1% in any other category. A language other than English was spoken at home by 20.1% of the population.
Family and household characteristics included 65.0% married-couple families, 13.0% family households with a male householder and no spouse present, and 16.9% family households with a female householder and no spouse present. The average household size was 2.87 and the average family size was 3.36.
Housing characteristics estimates indicated the population density was 3,332 inhabitants per square mile (1,286/km2). Of the 5,025 housing units,
61.5% were owner-occupied. The median value of owner-occupied housing units for 2016-2020 was $603,600. The median gross rent for the same period was $2,060.
The median income for a household (in 2020 dollars) for 2016-2020 was $126,600 +/- $15,678, and median per capita income was $50,932. The employment rate was 75.3%. About 4.0% of the population were living below the poverty line, and 3.6% were without health care coverage.[30]
Education characteristics of residents 25 years and over were that 94.9% were high school graduates, 76.2% held a bachelor's degree or higher, and 33.2% held a graduate or professional degree.
Businesses
Superior’s diverse businesses as of 2023 include Costco, Super Target, Whole Foods, Safeway, Ethan Allen, Stickley Furniture, Blue Sport Stable, Superior Liquor, PetSmart, and a Tesla service center, in addition to national chain and independent retailers, restaurants, service providers, and offices.[31] As of 2023, development was underway on a mixed-use retail/residential development called Downtown Superior.[32] The Superior Chamber of Commerce supports businesses of all types.
^"State of Colorado Marshall Fire information". Mitigation and Recovery Information for Colorado. Colorado Division of Homeland Security & Emergency Management. Retrieved April 18, 2022.
United States
Colorado
