People in the area know that George and Liz Gupton have carried a heavy load as the owners of the Old Superior School on River Street.

“About 30 years ago Liz started and completed, with the help of Deb Davis, the application to register the old school with the National Register of Historic Places,” explained George. “And then about 25 years ago, we purchased it to prevent demolition and any further deterioration and to return it to beneficial use and preserve the historic character.”

Completed at the beginning of 1916, the school remained in continuous use as a school until its closure in 1995, housing grades first to sixth after the junior high school was built one block south. With the opening of the new Superior Elementary School near the hospital, the Old Superior School stood empty and was eventually scheduled for demolition, despite its being entered in the NRHP by that time. A group of citizens decided, successfully, to try to save the old school.

“We had taken a sabbatical to attend UM and weren't around when the mill levy for a new school was passed, which included agreement to demolish the old school,” shared Liz. “Thus, it was under contract for demolition. Several community members suggested putting it on the National Register of Historic Places, which we did, but contrary to popular belief the owner of a historic register building can still demolish it!”

Having worked for the Forest Service, Liz was savvy with contracts.

“I knew it could be amended and wrote to Martel Construction (in Bozeman) to see how much he would need to get out of the demolition part of the contract. His reply: $30,000 of the $100,000 demolition cost. Fred Maker, then Superintendent for District 3, agreed to the price and the old school property was no longer under contract for demolition. Instead, it was advertised for several years with no buyers. That's when it was put up for auction in May of 1998,” she said.

The buyers were in Missoula and wanted to take the Guptons on as partners and it wasn’t long before they asked them to buy them out as they were moving out of state.

“George knew that as a business venture it didn't make sense, that it would take monumental effort and resources to get it to start paying a return on investment, but we jumped in anyway. That's how we ended up with the Old School Renovation project in July 1998,” Liz expounded.

Liz and George formed Old School Enterprises, for the purpose of preserving an important part of Superior's past. Over the next 25 years they repaired and remodeled the property to the extent that over half the buildings were under lease and the project was breaking even financially.

In 2011 the town of Superior purchased the eastern third of the block and subsequently built a new fire hall to house the Superior Volunteer Fire Department which also retains the offices for the city employees.

There are now 11 businesses hosted at the old school, as well as various events on the grounds and in the gym.

People will have the opportunity to meet the new owners at the Mineral County Chamber of Commerce Open House on Wednesday, Nov. 1 at 5:30 p.m. in Riverside Soups & Sandz, which happens to be on the east end of the Old Superior School.