Superior is a statutory town in Boulder County, Colorado, United States, with a small, uninhabited segment of land area extending into Jefferson County. According to the 2020 census, the population of the city was 13,094.
History
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 1894, 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. The town was reportedly named after its superior quality of coal.
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.
Recent events
Marshall Fire
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.
The fire started in Boulder County land to the west and was driven by wind gusts across extremely dry grasses and fuels before reaching the town. It spread rapidly and unexpectedly, prompting the temporary evacuation of 13,000 people in Superior and 21,000 in Louisville.
According to the official investigation performed by the Boulder County Sheriff, the fire started from two separate sources of ignition. 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.
Geography
Superior is located at (39.93119, −105.159085), about 15 minutes from downtown Boulder, 30 minutes from downtown Denver, and 35 minutes from Denver International Airport, with easy access to extensive regional open space and trail systems. It is bordered by the city of Louisville to the northeast, the city of Broomfield to the east and south, Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge to the south, and Boulder County open space to the west. U.S. Highway 36, also known as the Denver-Boulder Turnpike, runs along the northeast boundary of the town, and Colorado Route 128A runs along the south.
According to the United States Census Bureau as of 2021, Superior has a total area of , of which is land and is water.
Climate
According to the Köppen climate classification system, Superior has Dry, Semi-arid, cold climate (BSk). According to the United States Department of Agriculture, the Plant Hardiness zone is 6a, with an average annual extreme minimum temperature of .
Amenities and recreation
As of 2023, Superior has 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 . 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.
The Superior Community Center serves as a public venue for diverse uses.
Demographics
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 13,094 people and 4,424 households in Superior. Additional demographic information is available from the US Census profile of Superior and US Census Quick Facts about Superior. Data here are from the 2020 census and 2020 American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates for 2016-2020.