Quick, name a big city on Lake Superior. Michigan residents would likely first think of Marquette. If you head west maybe Duluth comes to mind. And north? If you're a real geography nerd maybe you come up with Thunder Bay in Ontario.

These may be somewhat sizeable cities compared to the surrounding areas, but compared to the rest of the major cities on the Great Lakes, they're kinda small potatoes.

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Consider mega cities like Chicago on Lake Michigan, Toronto on Lake Ontario, Cleveland and Buffalo on Lake Erie and Detroit on the strait between Huron and Erie. The list of much larger cities on the other lakes shows the disparity between those lakes and the cities of Lake Superior.

Thinking of the region and the geography, it certainly seems like there could or should be. Take Duluth. The city as the far western end of the lake is the westernmost Great Lakes port. Why did it not develop in the same way Chicago did as the regional transfer point from lake to inland commerce movement?

Consider the rich natural resources of Isle Royale. Could a major city have been developed on that island over time?

Consider Sault Ste. Marie at the opposite end of the lake as a major strategic point between Superior and Huron. It's akin to Buffalo/Niagara located between Erie and Ontario.

So why are none of these Lake Superior locations major cities?

The question came up recently on the Reddit Geography subreddit and there are plenty of possible explanations:

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The winter weather can be brutal. Enough said there.

The lake can quickly become dangerous for navigation. While there are shipwrecks to be found throughout the lakes, as Superior is the largest of the lakes, treacherous waves and swells are most likely on that northern inland sea.

On shore, particularly the north shore, rocky geologic formation known as the Canadian Shield makes agriculture, and therefore human development on a wide scale, difficult.

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So enjoy Lake Superior as the rugged, undeveloped natural beauty that it offers.

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