SUPERIOR, ARIZ. – Over the weekend of Jan. 29-30, 2022, the Superior Chamber of Commerce will present its 14th Annual Home and Building Tour, as well as a free antique show held at the recently restored Magma Club. A popular event among locals and visitors alike, the Home and Building Tour will showcase Superior’s unique, historic architecture, with highlights ranging from completely renovated homes and buildings that many would have bulldozed to a “falling down” motel that sat vacant and unloved for many years, but has recently been converted to lovely single apartments. In addition, the activity-packed weekend will feature live music, guided hikes, a pancake breakfast, handmade pottery for sale from the Mexican village of Mata Ortiz and historian speakers who will bring the former mining town’s past to life. The self-guided Home and Building Tour, which begins at the Chamber of Commerce office at 165 W. Main Street, will run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.
With a history dating back to 1875, Superior has undergone an amazing resurgence in recent years that has included efforts to give new life to the town’s older buildings. Tour attendees will be able to explore some of these structures, such as a home built in 1929 with its beautiful architectural details preserved, including the original doors with glass doorknobs. While visiting the homes on the Tour, attendees may even glean some decorative inspiration for their own properties, as several of the current owners have added interesting features to the homes and yards!
Another highlight is one of the town’s few adobe buildings still standing: the Alvy Building, a two-story structure built in 1930 that housed the Knights of Columbus meetings for many years. It has since been renovated into apartments with incredible views. The Town of Superior is excited to announce that it has purchased the original Superior High School and will become the Town’s multi-generational facility. Once renovations are complete, the complex will feature the Town Hall operations; wellness spaces such a dance room, gym and work out facility; the Senior Center and Library. The multi-gen facility also will house the Superior Enterprise Center which will be a hub for job training and entrepreneurship development. The original Superior High School will become a hub for all things Superior, and this historic and important building will once again be accessible to the public. To celebrate the official purchase, the High School will be on the Superior Chamber of Commerce annual home tour. The Town will be maintaining the structure of the building, only slightly modifying some aspects of the building to allow for accessibility and additional functionality.
Continuing on to the Magma Club – a community center that once hosted dinners, dancing, swimming and boxing matches for Magma Mine workers – visitors can enjoy a free antique show. The show will feature a selection of quality antiques for sale, as well as live music on the Club’s spacious veranda.
In addition to these intriguing buildings, the Tour will feature captivating stories about Superior’s past told by professional historians. For instance, Wyatt Earp, an acclaimed performer and relative of the legendary Wyatt Earp, will present a short play called “Life on the Frontier.” Stories of Mattie Earp, the common law wife of the elder Wyatt, will be shared; Mattie is buried in Superior. A lifelong Superior resident will also share folklore and interesting information about various aspects of the town’s history. For those who would like an even more up-close view of Superior and its past, there will be guided hikes to the old tunnel.
Another popular feature of the Tour is the selection of exquisite, handcrafted pottery from the village of Mata Ortiz in Mexico. The artists themselves will be displaying their wares – and weather permitting, they will fire pieces in an open flame to demonstrate how the pottery is made!
Each year, attendees of the Home and Building Tour enjoy learning about Superior’s fascinating history while observing how the town has been forging a unique new identity. Pre-sale tickets for the Tour are $15 at https://bit.ly/3tn5E4z. Sales at the door are $18. All ticket holders receive 2 for 1 tickets to the Renaissance Festival and the Boyce Thompson Arboretum! Please bring a mask as some property owners may require them for entry. For more information, please call the Chamber of Commerce at 520-689-0200.