Sparta, Wisconsin
Encyclopedia
Sparta is a city in and the county seat
of Monroe County
, Wisconsin
, United States
, along the La Crosse River
. The population was 9,522 at the 2010 census
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 5.5 square miles (14.3 km²), of which, 5.5 square miles (14.2 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.2 km²) of it (1.09%) is water.
gives the area a temperate
, continental climate
. 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)
serves general aviation
for the area.
Railroad tracks owned by Canadian Pacific Railway
(CPR) pass through Sparta providing freight service.
The city is served by several major highways, including Interstate 90
, Wisconsin State Highway 16, Wisconsin State Highway 21, Wisconsin State Highway 27,and Wisconsin State Highway 71.
of 2000, there were 8,648 people, 3,583 households, and 2,217 families residing in the city. The population density
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% White, 0.69% Black or African American
, 0.34% Native American, 0.62% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.57% from other races
, and 0.76% from two or more races. 1.82% of the population were Hispanic
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 married couples
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.
The median income for a household in the city was $33,397, and the median income for a family was $42,182. Males had a median income of $31,250 versus $21,634 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $18,238. About 10.0% of families and 11.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.0% of those under age 18 and 10.8% of those age 65 or over.
It was incorporated on February 14, 1984. It was formed for the purpose to raise funds and conduct fund raising projects for the advancement of the general welfare
of the City of Sparta.
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Monroe County
Monroe County, Wisconsin
Monroe County is a county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of 2000, the population was 40,899. Its county seat is Sparta.-Geography:According to the U.S...
, Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, along the La Crosse River
La Crosse River
The La Crosse River is a tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately 50 mi long, in southwestern Wisconsin in the United States.-Course:...
. The population was 9,522 at the 2010 census
United States Census, 2010
The Twenty-third United States Census, known as Census 2010 or the 2010 Census, is the current national census of the United States. National Census Day was April 1, 2010 and is the reference date used in enumerating individuals...
.
Notable people
- William Hawley AtwellWilliam Hawley AtwellWilliam Hawley Atwell was a United States federal judge.Born in Sparta, Wisconsin, Atwell received an A.B. and B.S. from Southwestern University in 1889, and an LL.B. from the University of Texas in 1891. He was in private practice in Dallas, Texas, from 1891 to 1898...
, U.S. District Court Judge in TexasTexasTexas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in... - Larry BaumelLarry BaumelLarry Baumel is a retired NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver whose career spanned from 1969 to 1971.-Summary:...
, NASCARNASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr... - George BunnGeorge BunnGeorge Lincoln Bunn was an American lawyer, judge, and academic from Minnesota. He served as a justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court and dean of William Mitchell College of Law.Bunn was born in Sparta, Wisconsin...
, Minnesota jurist - Kathryn F. ClarenbachKathryn F. ClarenbachKathryn F. Clarenbach was an early leader of the modern feminist movement in the United States and the first Chairperson of the National Organization for Women .-Early life:...
- the co-founder of NOW, the National Organization of Women - Leighton I. DavisLeighton I. DavisLeighton Ira Davis was a Lieutenant General in the United States Air Force.-Biography:Davis was born Leighton Ira Davis in Sparta, Wisconsin in 1910. He would graduate from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and later receive honorary doctorates from New Mexico State University and Brevard...
- U.S. Air Force Lieutenant General - James GillettJames GillettJames Norris Gillett was an American lawyer and politician. A Republican involved in federal and state politics, Gillett was elected both a member of the U.S...
, Governor of CaliforniaGovernor of CaliforniaThe Governor of California is the chief executive of the California state government, whose responsibilities include making annual State of the State addresses to the California State Legislature, submitting the budget, and ensuring that state laws are enforced... - Ben LawrenceBen Lawrence (American football)Benjamin J. Lawrence is a former guard in the National Football League. He was a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers during the 1987 NFL season.-References:...
- NFL player - Robert Bruce McCoyRobert Bruce McCoyRobert Bruce McCoy was a General in the National Guard in the early 20th century. He is most well known for having Fort McCoy, Wisconsin, formerly Camp McCoy, named after him.-Biography:...
- United States National Guard officer - Robert QuackenbushRobert Quackenbush (Wisconsin politician)Robert Quackenbush was a Wisconsin politician.Born in Sparta, Wisconsin, he served in the United States Military during World War II. Quackenbush graduated from University of Wisconsin–La Crosse and served in the Wisconsin State Assembly from 1971 until 1983.-Notes:...
, Wisconsin politician - James A. RundeJames A. RundeJames A. Runde is a Wall Street investment banker specializing in strategic and financial advice. He is a Special Advisor and a former Vice-Chairman of Morgan Stanley. Throughout his career with the firm, he has worked on mergers, privatizations, and restructurings, with a focus on the...
- Banker - Deke SlaytonDeke SlaytonDonald Kent Slayton , better known as Deke Slayton, was an American World War II pilot and later, one of the original NASA Mercury Seven astronauts....
- Donald Kent "Deke" Slayton; selected as one of the first Mercury Seven Astronauts. Deke's career with NASA spanned from 1959 - 1982.
Geography
Sparta is located at 43°56′35"N 90°48′42"W (43.943061, -90.811818).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 5.5 square miles (14.3 km²), of which, 5.5 square miles (14.2 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.2 km²) of it (1.09%) is water.
Climate
Sparta's location in the United States' upper midwestUpper 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 there are no uniformly agreed-upon boundaries, the region is most commonly used to refer to the states of Minnesota, Wisconsin, and...
gives the area a temperate
Temperate
In geography, temperate or tepid latitudes of the globe lie between the tropics and the polar circles. The changes in these regions between summer and winter are generally relatively moderate, rather than extreme hot or cold...
, continental climate
Continental climate
Continental climate is a climate characterized by important annual variation in temperature due to the lack of significant bodies of water nearby...
. 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
The Sparta/Fort McCoy AirportSparta/Fort McCoy Airport
Sparta/Fort McCoy Airport is a public airport located in Monroe County, Wisconsin three miles north-east of Sparta. The airport is also used heavily by the U.S. Army, accounting for 70% of traffic operations, primarily transient military aircraft supporting operations at nearby Fort McCoy, which...
serves general aviation
General aviation
General aviation is one of the two categories of civil aviation. It refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private and commercial. General aviation flights range from gliders and powered parachutes to large, non-scheduled cargo jet flights...
for the area.
Railroad tracks owned by Canadian Pacific Railway
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
(CPR) pass through Sparta providing freight service.
The city is served by several major highways, including Interstate 90
Interstate 90
Interstate 90 is the longest Interstate Highway in the United States at . It is the northernmost coast-to-coast interstate, and parallels US 20 for the most part. Its western terminus is in Seattle, at Edgar Martinez Drive S. near Safeco Field and CenturyLink Field, and its eastern terminus is in...
, Wisconsin State Highway 16, Wisconsin State Highway 21, Wisconsin State Highway 27,and Wisconsin State Highway 71.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 8,648 people, 3,583 households, and 2,217 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
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% White, 0.69% Black or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.34% Native American, 0.62% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.57% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.76% from two or more races. 1.82% of the population were Hispanic
Hispanic
Hispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
or Latino
Latino
The demonyms Latino and Latina , are defined in English language dictionaries as:* "a person of Latin-American descent."* "A Latin American."* "A person of Hispanic, especially Latin-American, descent, often one living in the United States."...
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 married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
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.
The median income for a household in the city was $33,397, and the median income for a family was $42,182. Males had a median income of $31,250 versus $21,634 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $18,238. About 10.0% of families and 11.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.0% of those under age 18 and 10.8% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
Sparta is the original 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, and Multistack.Annual events
- Butterfest is an annual event in the city of Sparta, WisconsinSparta, WisconsinSparta is a city in and the county seat of Monroe County, Wisconsin, United States, along the La Crosse River. The population was 9,522 at the 2010 census.-Notable people:*William Hawley Atwell, U.S. District Court Judge in Texas*Larry Baumel, NASCAR...
.
It was incorporated on February 14, 1984. It was formed for the purpose to raise funds and conduct fund raising projects for the advancement of the general welfare
Welfare
Welfare refers to a broad discourse which may hold certain implications regarding the provision of a minimal level of wellbeing and social support for all citizens without the stigma of charity. This is termed "social solidarity"...
of the City of Sparta.
- Concerts in the Park
- Sound Taps Wisconsin 4 July Celebration
- Sparta Area Cancer Support Walk
- Leon Gatorfest
- Ben Bikin' BBQ Bash
- Crazy Dayz
- Men's Softball Tournaments
- Women's Softball Tournaments