West Superior contains the core of the original city, much of which has been rebuilt since the 1951 disaster. The borough is divided into nine municipal districts.
Fortress Hill is built up around the original Fort Superior settlement. The Hill is the site of the Superior City Railyards and the train bridge across the river to Paradise. The Railyards are built on the site of the city's original train station, built in 1883 when the city was linked to the Northern Pacific Railway. The Railyards are the main cargo terminus for goods coming in to Superior City. There is a small passenger terminal, but the majority of the passenger rail traffic goes through the Metroplex and King's Cross Station.
Fortress Hill has also been the site of many mysterious sightings of a "ghost town". There are several accounts by people claiming to have seen ghostly, or sometimes very real seeming, images of the city as it was at its founding, complete with residents walking about the dirt streets and wooden sidewalks. The sightings invariably occur late at night with individuals or small groups of people witnessing the manifestation. Paranormal expert Dr. Terrence Thirteen believes that these sightings are hallucinations brought on by overactive imaginations that have taken stories of the town's "Wild West" past to heart. Others, however, believe that the sightings are visions into the city's past; that the curtain of time parts ever so slightly around Fortress Hill, and if a person isn't careful they may step through and become trapped in another time.
Islandview is a mainly commercial district, consisting of diverse shops and restaurants. There is also a scattering of apartment blocks and some large office buildings. Islandview is also home to the Federal Building, the Museum of Natural History and the Seaquarium; as well as Guthrie Mansion, the Mayor's official residence. Islandview stretches from the Columbia River to the North to Market Street in the South, and from Jackson St. in the West to the JFK Expressway in the East. See the Islandview section for a detailed map of the district.
Westgate is primarily a residential area, home to the families of many of the people who work in downtown Superior. The West Side highway winds it's way though Westgate from Fortress Hill to the north to Maple Ridge to the South. The westernmost portion consists of exclusive mansions and estates that sit on the cliffs overlooking the Columbia River. Moving eastward the area gradually shifts to colonial-era homes and middle-class housing. The Superior City Academy is located in Westgate.
Athens is one of the oldest parts of the city. Despite its proximity to the center of the devastation in 1951 it emerged relatively unscathed. The area is mainly residential with many homes dating back to the mid-19th century. The easternmost side of Athens is home to Superior City's Greek community.
Another of the areas devastated in 1954, the rebuilt Market Square has become the cultural center of the city. It is home to an open-air market with numerous cafes and restaurants, the Civic Museum, the Swan Gallery, and Pacific Gardens where Superior City's pro basketball team, the Marksmen, play. Joshua (Renegade) Chambers' bookstore, Erratic Thought Patterns, is also located in the market.
The City Center was the area most devastated by the events of 1951. Since then the area has been extensively rebuilt and now serves as the center of government for the city. Numerous state and federal departments have offices in City Center and the municipal. The majority of the municipal and county bureaus are housed in the Municipal Plaza complex, including City Hall and Police Headquarters.
Another of the areas that was badly damaged in 1954, Solomon Heights is now the home of much of the city's artistic community. Bordered by Excelsior Boulevard, Ditko Lane, and Lee and Kirby streets is the Superior City College of Fine Arts, sometimes called the "House of Ideas", noted for producing many talented artists, writers, and performers. The Heights is greatly influenced by the College and nearby Centennial University and is a favorite place of artists, poets, and intellectuals. The streets between the University District and the College are full of apartment buildings and other housing used by off-campus students from both schools. Kyoko (Orchid) Uchida had an apartment in Solomon Heights while she was attending university. The area is also home to the Kubert War Museum and Claremont Park, noted for its well-defined foliage and numerous paths, which often crisscross each other and sometimes end abruptly with no warning.
The University District is made up almost entirely of the campus of Centennial University. See the section on Centennial University for details on the campus.
Maple Ridge is a middle-class and urban professional residential area. Many of the government and business workers live here. The area is home to McFarlane Mall, which caters to the teenage consumer with glitzy storefronts, graphics, and advertising and supplies the latest "in" items. The spawn of superficial consumerism, the Mall is virtually devoid of establishments with depth and culture. Some of the Mall's success is due to its proximity to nearby Lee Field, home to the city's NFL franchise, the Spartans. Jascen (Blur) Broden lives in Maple Ridge.
