Metropolis,
Illinois
Metropolis is a small town of approximately 7000 people in Southern Illinois along the Ohio River.
Metropolis is near the convergence of the Ohio River and the Mississippi River (the two rivers meet just downstream in Cairo, Illinois). In 1839, a merchant who transported goods along the Ohio River founded the city. He picked this site because it was high above the river and seemed ideal for a transportation hub. He thought that it would become a major commerce center, a "metropolis."
Metropolis also is associated with the Superman industry. The town paper is called the Metropolis Planet. The annual summer event is the Superman Celebration. Metropolis was declared the official Hometown of Superman by the Illinois legislature in 1972.