Superior is a town in Mineral County, Montana, United States. The population was 893 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Mineral CountyGR6. Superior was named after its founders' hometown of Superior, Wisconsin in 1869. The post office was established in 1871 after Mineral County became the site of one of the largest gold strikes that helped settle the West.
In the 1860s and 70s, several thousand miners converged on Cedar Creek to earn their fortunes. Long after that strike played out, mining remained a mainstay of the economy. Mining, along with the development of logging and United States Forest Service activities contribute to the area's interesting history.
This small town offers a break from interstate travel and an introduction to area history in the Mineral County Museum. Display subjects explore local history and industry, including John Mullan and the Mullan Road.
Superior is located at 47°11′36″N, 114°53′25″W (47.193305, -114.890379)GR1, 57 miles northwest of Missoula, MT on Interstate 90. According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 3.1 km² (1.2 mi²). 2.8 km² (1.1 mi²) of it is land and 0.3 km² (0.1 mi²) of it (8.47%) is water.
Superior's elevation is 2,744 feet (836 meters) above sea level. Superior is surrounded by mountains, right in the middle of the Bitterroot Range. The Clark Fork (river) flows through downtown, heading north towards St. Regis, Montana and ultimately emptying into Lake Pend Oreille near Cabinet, Idaho. The mountains to the west of Superior along the Montana/Idaho border receive a large amount of precipitation annually, mostly due to the amount of snow in the winter months. Nearby Lookout Pass Ski and Recreation Area receives 400 inches on average each winter. The snow pack melts throughout the spring and summer months, feeding the many mountain streams and creeks with water. All of the water eventually reaches the Clark Fork in the valley below, where Superior is located. Wikipedia
