Superior (; ) is a city in

Douglas County, Wisconsin Douglas County is a county in the northwest corner of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census, the population was 44,295 Its county seat is Superior. Douglas County is included in the Duluth, MN-WI Metropolitan Statistical Area ...

, United States, and its

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...

. The population was 26,751 at the 2020 census. Located at the western end of

Lake Superior Lake Superior is the largest freshwater lake in the world by surface areaThe Caspian Sea is the largest lake, but is saline, not freshwater. Lake Michigan–Huron has a larger combined surface area than Superior, but is normally considered tw ...

in northwestern Wisconsin, the city lies at the junction of U.S. Route 2 and U.S. Route 53 immediately north of, and adjacent to, both the Village of Superior and the Town of Superior. Bordered by Saint Louis, Superior, and Allouez bays, the city is framed by two rivers: the Nemadji and the Saint Louis. Superior and the neighboring city across the bay,

Duluth, Minnesota Duluth ( ) is a Port, port city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and the county seat of St. Louis County, Minnesota, St. Louis County. Located on Lake Superior in Minnesota's Arrowhead Region, the city is a hub for cargo shipping. The population ...

, form a single metropolitan area called the

Twin Ports The Duluth MN–WI Metropolitan Area, commonly called the Twin Ports, is a small metropolitan area centered around the cities of Duluth, Minnesota and Superior, Wisconsin. The Twin Ports are located at the western part of Lake Superior (the we ...

. They share a harbor that is one of the most important ports on the

Great Lakes The Great Lakes, also called the Great Lakes of North America, are a series of large interconnected freshwater lakes spanning the Canada–United States border. The five lakes are Lake Superior, Superior, Lake Michigan, Michigan, Lake Huron, H ...

. Both cities feature

museum ship A museum ship, also called a memorial ship, is a ship that has been preserved and converted into a museum open to the public for educational or memorial purposes. Some are also used for training and recruitment purposes, mostly for the small numb ...

s ( in Duluth and in Superior), devoted to the local maritime heritage. Superior was the final port of call for before her sinking on November 10, 1975. It is an industrial city, with ship harbors along two sides, several large rail yards, an oil refinery, and a shipyard.

History

The first log cabin in Superior was erected in September 1853 on the banks of the Nemadji River, at the same time that ground was broken for construction of the locks and ship canal at Sault Ste. Marie,

Michigan Michigan ( ) is a peninsular U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, Upper Midwestern United States. It shares water and land boundaries with Minnesota to the northwest, Wisconsin to the west, ...

. This was intended to allow ships to bypass the rapids at that site. Superior was incorporated as a city on March 25, 1889. Around the same time Superior became the seat of newly formed Douglas County. Immediately there was eagerness for a railroad from

to the Pacific Coast, and investment flowed in, but then the Panic of 1857 hit, investment slowed, and the population of the new city collapsed from 2500 to 500. 25 years later the

Northern Pacific Railway The Northern Pacific Railway was an important American transcontinental railroad that operated across the northern tier of the Western United States, from Minnesota to the Pacific Northwest between 1864 and 1970. It was approved and chartered b ...

and other rail lines finally arrived, fulfilling the dream of a rail and water highway from coast to coast. In 1883 General John H. Hammond formed the Land and River Improvement Company, which developed much of West Superior, including the West Superior Iron and Steel plant. Numerous grain, coal and lumber businesses formed in the same period. In the Boom Period from 1888 to 1892, Land and River Improvement and others built architect-designed business blocks on Tower Avenue, seeing Superior as the "new Chicago". Many of the investors were from out East, so the buildings received names like the New Jersey Block and the Maryland Block. By 1892, population was 34,000. Then the Panic of 1893 hit, and development slowed again. File:Fairlawn Mansion.jpg, Fairlawn Mansion, built by Superior's three-time mayor Martin Pattison for his family in 1891. The 42-room mansion is now a museum. File:The twin ports-Superior, Wisconsin, Duluth, Minnesota.jpg, 1915 panoramic map of the

, Superior on the left and

Duluth Duluth ( ) is a Port, port city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and the county seat of St. Louis County, Minnesota, St. Louis County. Located on Lake Superior in Minnesota's Arrowhead Region, the city is a hub for cargo shipping. The population ...

on the right File:MinnesotaBlockSuperiorWI.JPG, Minnesota Block (Board of Trade Building), built 1892

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the city has a total area of , of which, is land and is water. Most of Superior is level with a gradual slope toward Lake Superior.

Climate

Demographics

2020 census

As of the census of 2020, the population was 26,751. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...

was . There were 12,593 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 87.7%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 2.1% Native American, 1.8%

Black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.9% Asian, 0.1%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

, 0.6% from other races, and 6.7% from two or more races. Ethnically, the population was 2.1%

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race.

2010 census

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2010, there were 27,244 people, 11,670 households, and 6,548 families residing in the city. The

was . There were 12,328 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 91.5%

, 1.4%

, 2.6% Native American, 1.2% Asian, 0.2% from other races, and 3.1% from two or more races.

or Latino people of any race were 1.4% of the population. There were 11,670 households, of which 28.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.2% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 13.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 43.9% were non-families. 34.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.84. The median age in the city was 35.4 years. 21.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 13.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 26% were from 25 to 44; 25.9% were from 45 to 64; and 13.5% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.0% male and 51.0% female.

2000 census

As of the 2000 census, there were 27,368 people, 11,609 households, and 6,698 families residing in the city. The

was 740.9 people per square mile (286.1/km²). There were 12,196 housing units at an average density of 330.2 per square mile (127.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 94.26%

, 0.68%

, 2.23% Native American, 0.84% Asian, 0.04%

, 0.26% from other races, and 1.69% from two or more races. 0.83% of the population were

or Latino of any race. 15.8% were of German, 13.6% Norwegian, 10.9% Swedish, 9.3% Irish, 7.2% Polish, 6.9% Finnish and 5.3% American ancestry. There were 11,609 households, out of which 27.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.3% were

living together, 12.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.3% were non-families. 34.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.91. The city's median household income was $31,921, and the median family income was $41,093. Males had a median income of $33,712 versus $22,073 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the city was $17,253. 13.4% of the population and 9.6% of families were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

. 16.0% of those under the age of 18 and 7.8% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line. In the city, the population was spread out, with 22.7% under the age of 18, 12.9% from 18 to 24, 27.9% from 25 to 44, 21.6% from 45 to 64, and 15.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.8 males.

Economy

The transportation industry accounts for more than 1,000 jobs. The

of Duluth–Superior, the largest in the

, welcomes both domestic and foreign vessels. Bulk solids (such as grain) make up much of the tonnage handled by the port, and the silos of such port facilities are visible on the Superior waterfront. In 2004, the port's busiest year since 1979, more than 41.4 million metric tons were shipped out of the port.

BNSF Railway BNSF Railway is the largest freight railroad in the United States. One of six North American Class I railroads, BNSF has 36,000 employees, of track in 28 states, and over 8,000 locomotives. It has three Transcontinental railroad, transcontine ...

has an operations hub in Superior. Cenovus Energy operates a refinery in Superior. The refinery is located along a pipeline connecting western Canada and the

Midwest The Midwestern United States (also referred to as the Midwest, the Heartland or the American Midwest) is one of the four census regions defined by the United States Census Bureau. It occupies the northern central part of the United States. It ...

. On April 26, 2018, there was an

explosion An explosion is a rapid expansion in volume of a given amount of matter associated with an extreme outward release of energy, usually with the generation of high temperatures and release of high-pressure gases. Explosions may also be generated ...

at the refinery. Douglas County issued a state of emergency due to heavy smoke, and then an evacuation order for local residents and workers. There were 20 injuries, and five were taken to hospital in Duluth. No fatalities were reported. Growing area manufacturers include FenTech, Inc., which manufactures vinyl doors and windows; Charter NEX Films, a producer of plastic films; Genesis Attachments, manufacturer of shears and grapples; Amsoil, a producer of synthetic motor oil and lubricants; and Crane Song Ltd. a manufacturer of discrete Class A electronics for recording studios. Fraser Shipyards also provides many jobs to local residents. They repower and repair commercial vessels.

Arts and culture

Superior Public Library is located in downtown Superior. Superior City FC, a semi-professional soccer club, compete in the United Premier Soccer League (UPSL). Founded in 2023, the club supports a Men's UPSL Premier team, a Women's UPSL Premier team, and multiple amateur adult teams. The club plays their home games at the NBC Spartan Sports Complex, located at Superior Senior High School. Every summer, Superior Porchfest takes place, occurring every two weeks on Thursdays between June and September. This community event features musical performances on the porches of homeowners in various neighborhoods, transforming these spaces into makeshift stages. The lineup typically includes at least three musical acts, with the potential for up to six. Superior Porchfest is organized by the 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization Siggy’s Musical Garden.

Parks and recreation

There are several parks in the city, including the second largest municipal forest in the United States, located in the city's Billings Park neighborhood.

Government

The current mayor of Superior is Jim Paine, who was first elected in 2017.

Education

Superior is served by the Superior School District, which has one high school, one middle school, and five elementary schools, with a total enrollment of over 5,000 students. Superior High School enrolls more than 1,500 students. Its mascot is Sparty the Spartan. Over 1,400 students are also enrolled in the Maple School District. Parochial schools include the Catholic Cathedral School, the Protestant-based Maranatha Academy and Twin Ports Baptist School. The

University of Wisconsin–Superior The University of Wisconsin–Superior (UW–Superior or UWS) is a Public university, public liberal arts university in Superior, Wisconsin, United States. UW–Superior grants associate, bachelor's, master's and specialist's degrees. The univ ...

(UWS) is a public liberal arts college. Originally opened as a state Normal School (teacher's college), UWS became part of the University of Wisconsin System in 1971. Northwood Technical College (formerly WITC) offers skill development and technical education, with an enrollment of over 2,200.

Media

Print media

*The ''Superior Telegram'', local twice-weekly print newspaper *'' The Superior Catholic Herald'', published by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Superior *''Positively Superior'' a bi-monthly business-to-business magazine that focuses exclusively on Superior and Douglas County

Radio

Superior is part of the Duluth radio and television market. * KDKE 102.5 FM – classic

Country A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. When referring to a specific polity, the term "country" may refer to a sovereign state, state with limited recognition, constituent country, ...

KUWS KUWS is a public radio station in Superior, Wisconsin, licensed to the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System and operated by the University of Wisconsin–Superior since January 21, 1966.Gitche Gumee (yearbook)(1967), p. 19. Wis ...

91.3 FM – Ideas network of

Wisconsin Public Radio Wisconsin Public Radio (WPR) is a network of 38 public radio radio station, stations in the state of Wisconsin. WPR's network is divided into two distinct services, the ''WPR News Network'' and the ''WPR Music Network''. History Wisconsin Publ ...

* WDSM 710 AM – News Talk Information * WDUL 970 AM – Sports * WGHF-LP 93.7 FM – Superior Seventh-Day Adventist Church * WSSU (FM) 88.5 FM – WPR News & Classical

Television

*6 KBJR-TV (NBC/CBS) – Superior *3 KDLH (The CW) – Duluth *8 WDSE (PBS) – Duluth *10 WDIO-DT (ABC) – Duluth *21 KQDS (Fox) – Duluth *27 KCWV (Family Chanel) – Duluth

Transportation

Highways

The following routes are located within the city of Superior. * Interstate 535 – John Blatnik Bridge * U.S. Highway 2 – Belknap Street(western portion) E. 2nd Street/US Highway 53 (eastern portion) * U.S. Highway 53 * Wisconsin Highway 35 – Tower Avenue * Wisconsin Highway 105 – Central Avenue * Minnesota State Highway 39 runs from its intersection with State Highway 23 (Commonwealth Avenue) in Duluth and continues east to its eastern terminus at the Wisconsin state line (at the Oliver Bridge), where it becomes Wisconsin Highway 105 upon entering the village of Oliver, Wisconsin.

Airport

Richard I. Bong Airport (KSUW) serves the city and surrounding communities. Duluth International Airport in Duluth is the nearest commercial airport, with service on three commercial and two cargo airlines, as of December 2018.

Bus

The Duluth Transit Authority provides Superior and nearby Duluth with fixed-route and dial-a-ride public bus service. Intercity bus service to the city is provided by Indian Trails.

Rail

A proposed

Amtrak The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Trade name, doing business as Amtrak (; ), is the national Passenger train, passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates intercity rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous United Stat ...

route running between

and the Twin Cities has a planned stop in Superior and is the final stop before arriving in Duluth or the first stop after departing from Duluth. Previously, Superior was served by passenger rail until 1984 at the Superior Union Station.

Religion

Superior is the

episcopal see An episcopal see is the area of a bishop's ecclesiastical jurisdiction. Phrases concerning actions occurring within or outside an episcopal see are indicative of the geographical significance of the term, making it synonymous with ''diocese'' ...

of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Superior, and the Cathedral of Christ the King in Superior is the mother church of the diocese. Saint Francis Xavier Catholic Church, located in the East End of Superior, has been noted for its architecture. Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church is the only congregation of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod located in Superior. It recently moved from its original location on Belknap Street to a new campus on North 28th Street. Pilgrim Lutheran Church is located along Belknap Street near the University of Wisconsin–Superior. United Presbyterian Church represents the Presbyterian Church U.S.A. as a merger of three churches in a new church building. Faith United Methodist Church is the result of a merger of the city's original three Methodist Churches: First, Central and Trinity. Many small churches dot the city's neighborhoods, representing most major denominations.

Notable people

* James H. Agen, Wisconsin state representative * Wallace W. Andrew, Wisconsin state representative * Morrie Arnovich, MLB All-Star outfielder * Dave Bancroft, MLB player and manager, member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame * David Francis Barry, photographer of the American West * David L. Bazelon, judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals * Kris Benson,

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...

player * Niko Bogojevic, professional wrestler for WWE * Richard Bong,

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest Awards and decorations of the United States Armed Forces, military decoration and is awarded to recognize American United States Army, soldiers, United States Navy, sailors, Un ...

recipient and top flying ace of the U.S. in

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

* C.A. Bottolfsen, 17th and 19th governor of Idaho * Charles J. Bouchard, Wisconsin state representative * Dave Bronson, mayor of

Anchorage, Alaska Anchorage, officially the Municipality of Anchorage, is the List of cities in Alaska, most populous city in the U.S. state of Alaska. With a population of 291,247 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it contains nearly 40 percent of ...

* Esther Bubley, photographer * Anthony Bukoski, short story writer * Solanus Casey, priest and a "blessed" of the Catholic Church * Carl Cashion, MLB player * Agnes Charbonneau, Wisconsin state representative * Frank Christopherson Jr., Wisconsin state representative * Paul Clemens, U.S. Army general * Charles H. Crownhart, justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court * Albert W. Durley, Wisconsin state representative and lawyer * Russ Ennis, MLB player * Ernest R. Feidler, U.S. Coast Guard Rear Admiral and Judge Advocate General, Secretary of the National Gallery of Art * Daniel R. Fitzpatrick, editorial cartoonist * William R. Foley, Wisconsin state representative * James B. French, Wisconsin state representative *

Bud Grant Harry Peter "Bud" Grant Jr. (May 20, 1927 – March 11, 2023) was an American professional football player and coach in the National Football League (NFL) and Canadian Football League (CFL). Grant was head coach of the NFL's Minnesota Viki ...

, head coach of the

Minnesota Vikings The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. The Vikings compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. Founded in 1960 as ...

from 1967 to 1983; 1985, member of the

Canadian Football Hall of Fame The Canadian Football Hall of Fame (CFHOF) is a not-for-profit corporation, located in Hamilton, Ontario, that celebrates achievements in Canadian football. It is maintained by the Canadian Football League (CFL). It includes displays about the CFL, ...

and

Pro Football Hall of Fame The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame for professional football (gridiron), professional American football, located in Canton, Ohio. Opened on September 7, 1963, the Hall of Fame enshrines exceptional figures in the sport of profes ...

* Lawrence M. Hagen, Wisconsin state representative * Ogden H. Hammond, diplomat and New Jersey politician * Christine Hoberg, singer-songwriter and music producer * William E. Hoehle, Wisconsin state representative * George Hudnall, Wisconsin state senator * Eastman Johnson, artist, co-founder of the

Metropolitan Museum of Art The Metropolitan Museum of Art, colloquially referred to as the Met, is an Encyclopedic museum, encyclopedic art museum in New York City. By floor area, it is the List of largest museums, third-largest museum in the world and the List of larg ...

* Doc Kelley, NFL player * Bill LaBounty, songwriter and musician * Tuffy Leemans, NFL player, member of the

* Irvine L. Lenroot, U.S. representative, U.S. senator, and judge of the U.S. Court of Customs and Patents Appeals * Victor Linley, Wisconsin state senator * Robert J. MacDonald,

state senator * James S. Mace, Wisconsin state representative * Gordon MacQuarrie, journalist and outdoors writer * Bruce Mathison, NFL player * Edgar G. Mills, Wisconsin state representative and senator * Thomas Brooks Mills, Wisconsin politician * Thomas B. Murray, Wisconsin state representative * Ernie Nevers, member of both College and Pro Football Halls of Fame * Marian Nixon, actress * Ray J. Nye, Wisconsin state senator * Scott O'Brien, special teams coordinator of the

New England Patriots The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. The Patriots compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The Pa ...

* Bob Olson, football player * Byron C. Ostby, Wisconsin state rRepresentative * Dave Peterson, coach of the United States men's national ice hockey team * Angus B. Rothwell, Superintendent of Public Instruction of Wisconsin * Augustine Francis Schinner, bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Superior and Roman Catholic Diocese of Spokane * Lewis B. Schwellenbach, U.S. Secretary of Labor * Frank D. Sheahan, Wisconsin state representative * Mike Sislo,

NHL The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...

player * Henry Clay Sloan, Wisconsin state representative * Edward Stack, Wisconsin state representative * James S. Stack, Wisconsin state representative * Don Stivers, artist * Doug Sutherland, NFL player * Tarzan Taylor, NFL player * David Tipton, NFL player * Leonard Patrick Walsh, United States District Court judge in Washington, D.C. * Albert D. Whealdon, Wisconsin state representative * Jarvis White, Wisconsin state representative * Jeffrey Williams,

NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the federal government of the United States, US federal government responsible for the United States ...

astronaut * Oliver E. Williamson, winner of the 2009

Nobel Prize The Nobel Prizes ( ; ; ) are awards administered by the Nobel Foundation and granted in accordance with the principle of "for the greatest benefit to humankind". The prizes were first awarded in 1901, marking the fifth anniversary of Alfred N ...

in economics * F. A. Woodward, Superior mayor, Arizona state senator

References

External links

Superior, Wisconsin government website
{{Authority control Cities in Wisconsin County seats in Wisconsin Cities in Douglas County, Wisconsin Wisconsin populated places on Lake Superior Inland port cities and towns in Wisconsin Populated places established in 1853 1853 establishments in Wisconsin