Sparta is a city in and the

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US ...

of Monroe County,

Wisconsin Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...

, United States, along the La Crosse River. The population was 10,025 at the

2020 2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global social and economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, worldwide lockdowns and the largest economic recession since the Great Depression in ...

census.

History

Sparta is located on former

Ho-Chunk The Ho-Chunk, also known as Hoocągra or Winnebago (referred to as ''Hotúŋe'' in the neighboring indigenous Iowa-Otoe language), are a Siouan-speaking Native American people whose historic territory includes parts of Wisconsin, Minnesota, Io ...

territory acquired by the United States in 1837. White settlement began after the government surveyed the land in 1849 and created a crossroads by building early state roads from Prairie du Chien to Hudson in 1849 and from

Portage Portage or portaging (Canada: ; ) is the practice of carrying water craft or cargo over land, either around an obstacle in a river, or between two bodies of water. A path where items are regularly carried between bodies of water is also called a ...

to La Crosse in 1851. The first recorded settlers were brothers Frank and William Petit, who opened a tavern near the crossroads in 1851. Their mother, recorded only as Mrs. Petit, named the settlement after the ancient Greek city-state of

Sparta Sparta (Doric Greek: Σπάρτα, ''Spártā''; Attic Greek: Σπάρτη, ''Spártē'') was a prominent city-state in Laconia, in ancient Greece. In antiquity, the city-state was known as Lacedaemon (, ), while the name Sparta referred ...

. A post office has been in operation at Sparta since 1852. In 1854, the Wisconsin Legislature named Sparta the county seat for the newly organized Monroe County. The settlement grew with the arrival of the

La Crosse and Milwaukee Railroad LA most frequently refers to Los Angeles, the second largest city in the United States. La, LA, or L.A. may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * La (musical note), or A, the sixth note * "L.A.", a song by Elliott Smith on ''Figure ...

in 1858 and the

Chicago and North Western Railroad The Chicago and North Western was a Railroad classes#Class I, Class I railroad in the Midwestern United States. It was also known as the "North Western". The railroad operated more than of track at the turn of the 20th century, and over of t ...

in 1873. The La Crosse River and area creeks provided water power for early

sawmill A sawmill (saw mill, saw-mill) or lumber mill is a facility where logging, logs are cut into lumber. Modern sawmills use a motorized saw to cut logs lengthwise to make long pieces, and crosswise to length depending on standard or custom sizes ...

s and

gristmill A gristmill (also: grist mill, corn mill, flour mill, feed mill or feedmill) grinds cereal grain into flour and middlings. The term can refer to either the grinding mechanism or the building that holds it. Grist is grain that has been separated ...

s, and the town attracted a variety of small manufacturers in the late nineteenth century. Residents also promoted Sparta as a health resort after drilling artesian wells for

mineral water Mineral water is water from a mineral spring that contains various minerals, such as salts and sulfur compounds. Mineral water may usually be still or sparkling (carbonated/effervescent) according to the presence or absence of added gases. T ...

in the 1860s. The current Monroe County Courthouse was built in Sparta in 1895, replacing an 1863 structure. The

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land warfare, land military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight Uniformed services of the United States, U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army o ...

began to acquire land for training grounds near Sparta in 1905 and 1909. The training camp developed into Fort McCoy, named for Sparta resident

Robert Bruce McCoy Robert Bruce McCoy (September 5, 1867January 5, 1926) was an American lawyer and Army National Guard officer in the early 20th century. He served as a colonel in World War I and is the namesake of Fort McCoy, Wisconsin (formerly Camp McCoy). Bio ...

, and became a significant contributor to the city's economy. In 1967, the former route of the Chicago and North Western Railroad into Sparta was converted into the Elroy-Sparta State Trail, considered the nation's first

rail trail A rail trail is a shared-use path on railway right of way. Rail trails are typically constructed after a railway has been abandoned and the track has been removed, but may also share the right of way with active railways, light rail, or streetca ...

conversion.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy An economy is an area of th ...

, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water.

Climate

Sparta's location in the United States'

upper midwest The Upper Midwest is a region in the northern portion of the U.S. Census Bureau's Midwestern United States. It is largely a sub-region of the Midwest. Although the exact boundaries are not uniformly agreed-upon, the region is defined as referrin ...

gives the area a

temperate In geography, the temperate climates of Earth occur in the middle latitudes (23.5° to 66.5° N/S of Equator), which span between the tropics and the polar regions of Earth. These zones generally have wider temperature ranges throughout t ...

continental climate Continental climates often have a significant annual variation in temperature (warm summers and cold winters). They tend to occur in the middle latitudes (40 to 55 north), within large landmasses where prevailing winds blow overland bringing so ...

. The warmest month of the year is July, with an average high temperature of 85 °F (29 °C), with overnight low temperatures averaging 63 °F (18 °C). January is the coldest month, with high temperatures averaging 26 °F (−4 °C), with the overnight low temperatures around 6 °F (−14 °C).

Transportation

Commuter bus service towards La Crosse or Tomah is provided three times daily per direction by Scenic Mississippi Regional Transit. In addition, there is a daily intercity bus from Minneapolis to Milwaukee, which stops in Sparta. (''See:

List of intercity bus stops in Wisconsin The following is a list of presently operating intercity bus stops in Wisconsin with regular service. The list excludes charter buses, local transit buses, paratransit systems, and trolleybus systems. The following companies provide intercity bus s ...

'') The

Sparta/Fort McCoy Airport Sparta/Fort McCoy Airport is a public and military use airport located in Monroe County, Wisconsin, United States, three nautical miles (6 km) northeast of Sparta. The airport is used heavily by the U.S. Army, accounting for 75% of tra ...

serves

general aviation General aviation (GA) is defined by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) as all civil aviation aircraft operations with the exception of commercial air transport or aerial work, which is defined as specialized aviation service ...

for the area.

Railroad Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the vehicles run on a pre ...

tracks owned by

Canadian Pacific Railway The Canadian Pacific Railway (french: Chemin de fer Canadien Pacifique) , also known simply as CPR or Canadian Pacific and formerly as CP Rail (1968–1996), is a Canadian Class I railway incorporated in 1881. The railway is owned by Canad ...

(CPR) pass through Sparta, providing freight service. The city is served by several major highways, including

Interstate 90 Interstate 90 (I-90) is an east–west transcontinental freeway and the longest Interstate Highway in the United States at . It begins in Seattle, Washington, and travels through the Pacific Northwest, Mountain West, Great Plains, Midwest, a ...

Wisconsin State Highway 16 State Trunk Highway 16 (often called Highway 16, STH-16 or WIS 16) is a Wisconsin state highway running from Pewaukee across the state to La Crosse. Much of its route in the state parallels the former mainline of the Milwaukee Road and c ...

Wisconsin State Highway 21 State Trunk Highway 21 (often called Highway 21, STH-21 or WIS 21) is a state highway in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. It runs east–west across the center of the state between Sparta and Oshkosh. The route often serves as a direct route ...

Wisconsin State Highway 27 State Trunk Highway 27 (often called Highway 27, STH-27 or WIS 27) is a state highway in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The highway spans a length of and is generally two-lane local road with the exception of urban multilane arterials within some ...

, and Wisconsin State Highway 71. Sparta is at one end of the Elroy-Sparta State Trail. Opened in 1967, this is considered to be the first

conversion. It is a 32-mile (51 km) bike trail that was redeveloped from an abandoned railway and passes through rural scenery and three tunnels. It is part of the larger Wisconsin bike trail system operated by the state of Wisconsin. Based on this, Sparta dubs itself the "Bicycling Capital of America"; the entrance to the town is marked by an oversized sculpture of a bicyclist on an old-fashioned

penny farthing The penny-farthing, also known as a high wheel, high wheeler or ordinary, is an early type of bicycle. It was popular in the 1870s and 1880s, with its large front wheel providing high speeds (owing to its travelling a large distance for every ...

high-wheel bicycle. The statue, named ''Ben Bikin','' has been given the title of "World's Largest Bicyclist." An annual bike ride held annually in October and called the "Will to Ben" runs between the ''Ben Bikin'' statue with another from the same mold, named ''Will B. Rolling,'' which is located in

Port Byron, Illinois Port Byron is a village in Rock Island County, Illinois, United States and part of the Quad Cities Metropolitan Area. The population was 1,647 at the 2010 census. Geography Port Byron is located at (41.618051, -90.332789). According to the 20 ...

Demographics

2020 census

As of the census of 2020, the population was 10,025. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical ...

was . There were 4,388 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 84.5%

White White is the lightness, lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully diffuse reflection, reflect and scattering, scatter all the ...

, 1.4%

Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ha ...

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American ...

, 1.0% Asian, 0.9% Native American, 0.2%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of Ocea ...

, 4.2% from other races, and 7.8% from two or more races. Ethnically, the population was 11.1%

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...

or Latino of any race. According to the American Community Survey estimates for 2016-2020, the median income for a household in the city was $50,993, and the median income for a family was $70,509. Male full-time workers had a median income of $46,476 versus $32,100 for female workers. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the city was $27,491. About 6.8% of families and 10.8% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 12.8% of those under age 18 and 9.0% of those age 65 or over. Of the population age 25 and over, 91.1% were high school graduates or higher and 22.5% had a bachelor's degree or higher.

2010 census

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses in ...

of 2010, there were 9,522 people, 3,986 households, and 2,342 families living in the city. The

was . There were 4,192 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 92.2%

, 1.5%

, 0.6% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 0.1%

, 3.5% from other races, and 1.6% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 6.8% of the population. There were 3,986 households, of which 31.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.3% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...

living together, 14.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 41.2% were non-families. 33.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.95. The median age in the city was 36.5 years. 24.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.1% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 26.6% were from 25 to 44; 24.9% were from 45 to 64; and 14.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.8% male and 51.2% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 8,648 people, 3,583 households, and 2,217 families living in the city. The

was 1,582.2 people per square mile (610.4/km²). There were 3,733 housing units at an average density of 683.0 per square mile (263.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 96.97%

, 0.69%

, 0.34% Native American, 0.62% Asian, 0.05%

, 0.57% from other races, and 0.76% from two or more races. 1.82% of the population were

or Latino of any race. There were 3,583 households, out of which 30.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.6% were

living together, 12.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.1% were non-families. 31.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.93. In the city, the population was spread out, with 25.9% under the age of 18, 9.1% from 18 to 24, 27.6% from 25 to 44, 21.6% from 45 to 64, and 15.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.7 males.

Economy

Sparta is the home and international headquarters of several businesses including Century Foods International, Northern Engraving Corp., Spartek, Mathews Inc., F.A.S.T. Corp., Sparta Brush Company, McPherson Guitars, Multistack, Lake States Lumber, and Wesco Home Furnishings.

Annual events

Butterfest is an annual event in the city. Incorporated on February 14, 1984, it was formed to raise funds and conduct fund raising projects for the advancement of the general

welfare Welfare, or commonly social welfare, is a type of government support intended to ensure that members of a society can meet basic human needs such as food and shelter. Social security may either be synonymous with welfare, or refer specificall ...

of the city of Sparta. Other events include: * Concerts in the Park * Sound Taps Wisconsin July 4 Celebration * Sparta Area Cancer Support Walk * Leon Gatorfest * Crazy Dayz * Women's softball tournament

Notable people

* William H. Atwell, U.S. District Court Judge in

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...

Larry Baumel Larry Baumel (born May 26, 1944 in Sparta, Wisconsin) is a retired ''NASCAR Winston Cup Series'' driver whose career spanned from 1969 to 1971. Career Baumel has raced 5940 laps of racing; equivalent to of racing.NASCAR The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC (NASCAR) is an American auto racing sanctioning and operating company that is best known for stock car racing. The privately owned company was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1948, and h ...

driver *

William H. Blyton William H. Blyton (October 4, 1842 – November 8, 1932) was an American businessman and politician. Born in Franklinville, New York, Blyton moved to Sparta, Wisconsin in 1854. During the American Civil War, Blyton served in the 19th Wiscons ...

, Wisconsin politician *

Ray Boland Ray Boland (born November 21, 1937) is a former military officer and politician in Wisconsin. Biography Boland was born on November 21, 1937, in Chicago, Illinois. After graduating from Harper High School, Boland moved with his family to Friend ...

, Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs * George Bunn, Minnesota jurist *

David D. Cheney David D. Cheney was a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly. Biography The son of a Free Will Baptist minister and his wife, Cheney was born on January 19, 1822, in the area of what was then Michigan Territory that would become Monroe County, ...

, Wisconsin politician * David W. Cheney, Wisconsin politician * Kathryn F. Clarenbach, the co-founder of NOW, the

National Organization for Women The National Organization for Women (NOW) is an American feminist organization. Founded in 1966, it is legally a 501(c)(4) social welfare organization. The organization consists of 550 chapters in all 50 U.S. states and in Washington, D.C. It ...

James DeMott Condit James DeMott Condit (April 22, 1821 – September 27, 1863) was a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly. Biography Condit was born on April 22, 1821. On October 5, 1848, he married Sarah A. Veazie. They had three children before her death on Sep ...

, Wisconsin politician * Leighton I. Davis, U.S. Air Force Lieutenant General * Harland E. Everson, Wisconsin politician * Robert Herman Flock, Roman Catholic bishopRobert Herman Flock Bever
/ref> * James Gillett,

Governor of California The governor of California is the head of government of the U.S. state of California. The governor is the commander-in-chief of the California National Guard and the California State Guard. Established in the Constitution of California, t ...

* James Handlan,

Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the List of U.S. states and territories by population, 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minne ...

politician * Edgar Stillman Kelley, Wisconsin classical composer *

Lawrence P. Kelly Lawrence P. Kelly (December 18, 1913 – August 23, 1999) was an American accountant and business manager from Cudahy, Wisconsin who served one term (1963-1964) as a Democratic member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from Milwaukee County' ...

, Wisconsin politician * Ben Lawrence,

NFL The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the major ...

player *

James R. Lyon James R. Lyon (November 4, 1833c. 1914) was an American merchant, Republican politician, and Union Army volunteer in the American Civil War. Biography Lyon was born on November 4, 1833, in Benton, New York. He later resided in Glendale, Monro ...

, Wisconsin politician *

, United States National Guard officer * Milton Montgomery,

Union Army During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union of the collective states. It proved essential to th ...

general * Joseph McKeen Morrow, Wisconsin politician *

Ivan A. Nestingen Ivan Arnold Nestingen (September 9, 1921 – April 24, 1978) was Mayor of Madison, Wisconsin. He held the office from 1956 to 1961. Born in Sparta, Wisconsin, Nestingen served in the United States Army during World War II. He received his ba ...

, Wisconsin politician *

Alex L. Nicol Alexander Lee Nicol (March 13, 1895 – July 22, 1967) was an American political figure on the state level who served as Speaker of the Wisconsin State Assembly during its 1949–50 session. Born in the small Wisconsin city of Sparta, he ...

, Wisconsin politician * Mike O'Callaghan, 23rd

Governor of Nevada A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

Daniel B. Priest Daniel Badger Priest (March 9, 1830 – September 6, 1870) was an American lawyer and legislator. Born in Putnam County, Indiana, Priest graduated from Asbury University. In 1850, he moved to Fort Snelling, Minnesota Territory to farm. He mov ...

, lawyer *

Robert Quackenbush Dr.Robert Mead Quackenbush, MSW, PhD (July 23, 1929 – May 17, 2021) was an American author and illustrator of children's books. He authored 110 books and illustrated 60 more by 1999. He is noted for creating the characters Henry the Duck, D ...

, Wisconsin politician *

Roy W. Ranum Roy Willard Ranum (August 11, 1898 – February 5, 1990) was an American politician and papermaker. Ranum was born in Sparta, Monroe County, Wisconsin. He moved to Faribault, Minnesota in 1909 and graduated from Fairbault High School in 1918. ...

, Minnesota politician * Doane Robinson, born here, known for conceiving of a sculpture project in the Black Hills;

Mount Rushmore Mount Rushmore National Memorial is a national memorial centered on a colossal sculpture carved into the granite face of Mount Rushmore ( Lakota: ''Tȟuŋkášila Šákpe'', or Six Grandfathers) in the Black Hills near Keystone, South Dako ...

James A. Runde James A. Runde is an American investment banker, author and corporate director specializing in strategic and financial advice. As a 50 year veteran of Morgan Stanley, he is now an Advisory Director and a former Vice Chairman. Runde is one of Ame ...

, banker * Tim Schendel, NASCAR driver *

Deke Slayton Donald Kent "Deke" Slayton (March 1, 1924 – June 13, 1993) was a United States Air Force pilot, aeronautical engineer, and test pilot who was selected as one of the original NASA Mercury Seven astronauts. He went on to become NASA's fir ...

, astronaut *

Howard Teasdale Howard Teasdale (August 9, 1855January 14, 1936) was a member of the Wisconsin State Senate. Biography Teasdale was born on August 9, 1855, in Janesville, Wisconsin. He attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of Wisconsi ...

, Wisconsin politician *

Mason A. Thayer Mason A. Thayer was a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly. Biography Thayer was born on November 17, 1839, in Conneaut, Ohio. He later moved to Sparta, Wisconsin. Career Thayer was a member of the Assembly in 1882. Additionally, he was Regist ...

, Wisconsin politician * Eli Waste, Wisconsin politician

Notes

References

* *

External links

*
Sparta Chamber of Commerce
* Sanborn fire insurance maps
188418891894190019111922
{{authority control Cities in Wisconsin Cities in Monroe County, Wisconsin County seats in Wisconsin

History

Geography

Climate

Transportation

Demographics

2020 census

2010 census

2000 census

Economy

Annual events

Notable people

See also

Notes

References

External links