BlockSuperior, Arizona
25 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1900 and the latest in 2004. It stands in the North Pinal census division. It lies in ZIP code area 85173. It lies near Queen Creek Canyon. The Survey maps it on the Superior quadrangle. 2,407 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 2,887 feet above sea level.
On record in Superior
Buildings and businesses the archive holds for this place. Each opens its own page, with the source record it came from.
On the National Register 4 records
Magma Hotellisted 1994
Queen Creek Bridgelisted 1988
Boyce Thompson Southwestern Arboretumlisted 1976- Devil's Canyon Bridgelisted 1988
Surveyed buildings and structures 1 record
- Boyce Thompson Arboretum, 37615 U.S. Highway 60, Superiorfederal building survey, 1 photograph
Population over time
2 figuresSuperior fell from 2,837 to 2,407 between 2010 and 2020. These are the recorded population figures Wikidata holds for this place, reached through the Geographic Names Information System number this page is keyed on rather than by name, so they belong to this place and not to another of the same name. Most are census counts, but not all are: an early figure may be a founding or settlement estimate, and an estimate published within five years of a census is left out. The change column is computed, and is left blank where more than 20 years separate a figure from the one before it, because a gap that long is not a change between two counts.
| Year | People | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 2,837 | |
| 2020 | 2,407 | -430 (-15%) |
Topographic sheets covering this place
12 surveys from 25 printed sheetsMatched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.
- 1900 USGS Florence quadrangle1:125000
- 1902 USGS Florence quadrangle1:125000, 5 printings
- 1948 USGS Superior quadrangle1:62500, 3 printings
- 1948 USGS Superior quadrangle1:24000, 3 printings
- 1949 USGS Superior quadrangle1:24000, 2 printings
- 1954 USGS Mesa quadrangle1:250000, 4 printings
- 1957 USGS Mesa quadrangle1:250000
- 1958 USGS Mesa quadrangle1:250000
- 1960 USGS Mesa quadrangle1:250000
- 1964 USGS Mesa quadrangle1:250000
- 1994 USGS Mesa quadrangle1:100000, 2 printings
- 2004 USGS Superior quadrangle1:24000
Fires near this place
180 since 1992Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 180 fires within 5 miles of Superior between 1992 and 2020, burning about 15,287 acres in total. 30 started naturally. 13 were recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Reported cause | Fires |
|---|---|
| Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 78 |
| Natural | 30 |
| Equipment and vehicle use | 26 |
| Recreation and ceremony | 14 |
| Arson/incendiarism | 13 |
| Debris and open burning | 8 |
| Smoking | 5 |
| Misuse of fire by a minor | 2 |
| Railroad operations and maintenance | 1 |
| Other causes | 1 |
| Fireworks | 1 |
| Power generation/transmission/distribution | 1 |
The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.
| Date | Cause | Size | Reported by | Name on the report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 September 2007 | Recreation and ceremony | under an acre | Tonto National Forest | TV RANCH |
| 30 September 2019 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Superior Fire Department | NOT NAMED |
| 30 September 2019 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Queen Valley Fire District | NOT NAMED |
| 22 September 2009 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management - State Office | PICKETPOST |
| 19 September 1992 | Recreation and ceremony | 2.0 acres | Tonto National Forest | not named |
| 18 September 1993 | Arson/incendiarism | 4.0 acres | Tonto National Forest | not named |
| 8 August 2012 | Natural | under an acre | Tonto National Forest | PICKETT |
| 8 August 2006 | Equipment and vehicle use | under an acre | Tonto National Forest | BURNT |
Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:
Mines and quarries near this place
10 of 73 shownRegional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 73 workings within 5 miles of Superior: 31 past producers, 19 producers, 13 prospects, 8 occurrences. 20 still produce. What was taken out: Perlite, Copper, Manganese, Gold, Silver. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Where | Site | Commodity | Status | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apache | Copper, Silver, Lead, Gold | Past Producer | ||
| Apache Tears Mine | Gemstone | Producer | ||
| Belmont Copper Property | Silver, Copper, Gold, Molybdenum, Vanadium, Lead, Manganese | Past Producer | ||
| Belmont Mine | Copper, Silver, Lead, Zinc, Gold, Manganese, Vanadium | Producer | 1899, 1926, 1945 | |
| Black Eagle | Copper, Lead, Silver, Gold, Zinc | Past Producer | ||
| Blue Bird | Copper, Gold, Stone | Prospect | ||
| Daggs Group | Iron, Lead, Molybdenum, Vanadium | Past Producer | ||
| Dougan Claims | Copper, Iron | Prospect | ||
| Grand Pacific | Copper, Iron, Manganese | Past Producer | ||
| Grand Pacific Mine | Copper, Silver, Gold, Manganese | Producer | 1900, 1916, 1955 |
Storms near this place
21 since 1997Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Superior in 21 storm reports between 1997 and 2024: 7 flash flood, 6 hail, 4 thunderstorm wind, 4 heavy rain. No death or injury is recorded in these reports. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.
| When | Event | Place named | Harm | What the report says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | Superior | $50,000 | Thunderstorm winds blew out windows at the Superior administration building, and damaged a nearby truck window. Trees were downed by strong winds. |
| August 2018 | Flash Flood | Superior | $20,000 | Thunderstorms with very heavy rain developed across high terrain areas to the east of Phoenix during the evening hours on August 23rd; some of the stronger storms produced peak rain rates in excess of 3 inches per hour which resulted in flash flooding near the town of Superior. As an example of the heavy rain in the area, a trained spotter in Apache Junction reported 1.2 inches of rain within 20 minutes at 2030MST. At 1920MST, a trained spotter reported that as he drove through the town of Superior, there was debris and boulders flowing across the roads due to flash flooding in the area. A bit later, at 2005MST, the Arizona Department of Highways reported that boulders and debris were blocking portions of Highway 60 about 2 miles to the northeast of Superior. A Flash Flood Warning was issued for the area at 1907MST and it remained in effect through 2015MST. Fortunately there were no accidents reported due to the debris flowing across the roads. |
| August 2024 | Hail | Superior | - | Penny sized hail reported along Highway 60 at Top of the World. No damages nor injuries were reported. |
| August 2021 | Flash Flood | Superior | - | Arizona Department of Transportation reported that US-60 was closed in both directions between Superior and Top-Of-The-World, specifically between mileposts 227 and 235, due to rocks on the roadway following heavy rainfall in the area. The highway was reopened around 0030MST on the 14th. No damages or injuries were reported. |
| July 2017 | Heavy Rain | Superior | - | Thunderstorms with very heavy rain developed across the higher terrain areas well to the east of Phoenix during the late afternoon and evening hours on July 21st and some of the stronger storms affected the community of Superior. At 1900MST a trained spotter located 1 mile northeast of Superior measured 0.74 inches of rain within a 45 minute period. Heavy rain such as reported by the spotter resulted in the issuance of a Flood Advisory for the area around Superior; the advisory was first issued at 1727MST and continued through 2030MST. The flooding resulted in very hazardous driving conditions for motorists in the area, especially since some of the advisory took place at night. |
| July 2017 | Heavy Rain | Superior | - | Scattered thunderstorms developed across the far eastern portion of the greater Phoenix area, including higher terrain locations of far northeast Maricopa County, during the afternoon hours on July 22nd. Locally heavy rain was observed in some locales, including the community of Superior. At 1615MST a trained spotter 1 mile northeast of Superior measured 0.74 inches of rain within a 20 minute period. Locally heavy rain such as this necessitated the issuance of a Small Stream Flood Advisory for areas near to and to the north of Superior. The advisory was issued at 1552MST and ran through 1745MST. |
| July 2015 | Heavy Rain | Superior | - | Thunderstorms developed across the central deserts during the evening hours on July 29th and they produced locally heavy rainfall in the community of Superior. At about 1900MST, a trained weather spotter 1 mile northeast of Superior measured 0.75 inches of rainfall, most of which fell within a 30 minute period. The heavy rain led to the issuance of a Small Stream Flood Advisory for portions of the central deserts including northern Pinal County. No flash flooding was observed. |
| July 2014 | Heavy Rain | Superior | - | Thunderstorms with heavy rain developed in the area around Superior during the early afternoon hours on July 15th. The storms were slow moving, and produced rainfall rates in excess of one inch per hour, which led to local flooding of streams, washes and area roads. A Small Stream Flood Advisory was issued for Superior, starting at 1313MST and continuing until 1615MST. At 1325MST a trained weather spotter 1 mile northeast of Superior measured 0.94 inches of rain which fell in less than one hour. Shortly thereafter, the spotter reported that water was 6 inches deep across the main street in Superior, and Queen Creek was flowing with water about 6 inches deep. At 1342MST, a second trained spotter in Superior reported street flooding in Superior and on Highway 60 just east of Superior. Flow continued in Queen Creek through the late afternoon hours, and the depth of flowing water exceeded 12 inches by 1645MST. |
| May 2007 | Hail | Superior | - | Spotter reported large hail. |
| August 2007 | Flash Flood | Superior | - | Rapid rise in water levels in washes. Rocks and debris reported on highway 60 near Superior. |
| July 2007 | Flash Flood | Superior | - | Rock slides were reported on SR 60 between the Queen Creek tunnel and Devils Canyon. |
| December 2004 | Flash Flood | Superior | - | Heavy rainfall caused flash flooding in Superior in the vicinity of the crossroads of Queen Creek road and Stone Avenue. |
| August 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | Superior | - | Severe thunderstorm wind gusts blew down trees in town. |
| September 1999 | Hail | Superior | - | Large hail was reported throughout the area along with heavy rain. One spotter about 7 miles east of Superior, at Top of the World, reported 1.10 inch in just 25 minutes. |
| July 1999 | Flash Flood | Superior | - | Rainfall of 2.26 inches reported at Boyce Thompson arboretum near Superior. Silver King wash flooded. Pea size hail also reported. Highway 60 briefly closed at MP 232 due to rock slide. Water covered route 60 near Queen Valley. |
| August 1998 | Hail | Superior | - | Large hail and very heavy rain damaged part of a roof of a home. |
| August 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | Superior | - | Part of a trailer roof was blown off. Signs along a road were blown down. |
| February 2005 | Flash Flood | Superior | - | no account filed |
| August 2004 | Hail | Superior | - | no account filed |
| August 2002 | Hail | Superior | - | no account filed |
| September 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Superior | - | no account filed |
Nearest settlements
The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.
| Map | Place | Distance | Sheets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reymert | 7.5 miles | 20 | |
| Ray | 9.2 miles | 16 | |
| Smelter Town | 9.6 miles | 20 | |
| Queen Valley | 10.3 miles | 20 | |
| Sonora | 10.3 miles | 16 | |
| Gold Camp | 11.0 miles | 20 | |
| Florence Junction | 13.0 miles | 20 | |
| Cochran | 13.0 miles | 19 |
Elsewhere
Matched on this settlement's Geographic Names Information System number rather than its name, so it cannot be a different place of the same name in another state.
| Wikipedia article on Superior | An encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied. |
| Wikidata item Q1012650 | The structured record the population and elevation above come from. Public domain (CC0). |
Provenance
This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 34981. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.