Sparta, North Carolina
| Sparta, North Carolina | |
|---|---|
| Town | |
|
The Alleghany County Courthouse in Sparta is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. | |
 | |
| Coordinates: 36°30′20″N 81°7′18″W / 36.50556°N 81.12167°WCoordinates: 36°30′20″N 81°7′18″W / 36.50556°N 81.12167°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | North Carolina |
| County | Alleghany |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | John Miller |
| Area | |
| • Total | 2.4 sq mi (6.2 km2) |
| • Land | 2.4 sq mi (6.2 km2) |
| • Water | 0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2) |
| Elevation | 2,927 ft (892 m) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 1,770 |
| • Density | 738/sq mi (285.0/km2) |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP code | 28675 |
| Area code(s) | 336 |
| FIPS code | 37-63680[1] |
| GNIS feature ID | 0995271[2] |
| Website |
www |
Sparta is a town in Alleghany County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,770 at the 2010 census.[3] It is the county seat of Alleghany County.[4]
History
James H. Parks, an early businessman whose store stood near the present location of the ABC store, was one of three men who donated land for the county seat in 1866. Parks is credited with suggesting the name "Sparta", after the Greek city-state.
Noteworthy businesses established in Sparta included The Alleghany News (1889), the Bank of Sparta (1902), and the second store purchased by home improvement giant Lowe's (1949). Sparta's first shopping center, Trojan Village, opened in 1977, followed by Sparta Plaza in 1986.[5]
The Alleghany County Courthouse and Jarvis House are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[6]
Geography
Sparta is located at 36°30′20″N 81°7′18″W / 36.50556°N 81.12167°W (36.505639, -81.121718).[7]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 2.4 square miles (6.2 km2), of which 0.0077 square miles (0.02 km2), or 0.32%, is water.[3]
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1890 | 95 | — | |
| 1900 | 501 | 427.4% | |
| 1910 | 199 | −60.3% | |
| 1920 | 159 | −20.1% | |
| 1930 | 466 | 193.1% | |
| 1940 | 648 | 39.1% | |
| 1950 | 620 | −4.3% | |
| 1960 | 1,047 | 68.9% | |
| 1970 | 1,304 | 24.5% | |
| 1980 | 1,687 | 29.4% | |
| 1990 | 1,957 | 16.0% | |
| 2000 | 1,817 | −7.2% | |
| 2010 | 1,770 | −2.6% | |
| Est. 2015 | 1,726 | [8] | −2.5% |
As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 1,817 people, 825 households, and 441 families residing in the town. The population density was 765.2 people per square mile (296.0/km²). There were 922 housing units at an average density of 388.3 per square mile (150.2/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 94.06% White, 1.98% African American, 0.17% Native American, 0.55% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 2.20% from other races, and 0.99% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.71% of the population.
There were 825 households out of which 22.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.0% were married couples living together, 12.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 46.5% were non-families. 41.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 22.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.01 and the average family size was 2.71.
In the town the population was spread out with 18.1% under the age of 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 24.3% from 25 to 44, 25.3% from 45 to 64, and 24.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 85.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.1 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $22,474, and the median income for a family was $37,596. Males had a median income of $23,304 versus $18,281 for females. The per capita income for the town was $14,237. About 10.6% of families and 18.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.0% of those under age 18 and 33.0% of those age 65 or over.
Notable locations
- The Sparta Teapot Museum (may be permanently closed).[10]
- Dr. Grabow International Pipes & Accessories, which produces 200,000 high quality pipes annually, the most pipes produced under one roof worldwide.[11]
- Alleghany High School, the only high school in Alleghany County, is located in Sparta.
Notable people
- Octavia Jordan Perry, writer; inspired by summers spent in Sparta
- Del Reeves, country singer born in Sparta on July 14, 1932
In popular culture
Sparta was stated to be the hometown of Charlotte Simmons in Tom Wolfe's 2004 novel I Am Charlotte Simmons.
References
- 1 2 "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ↑ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- 1 2 "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Sparta town, North Carolina". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Retrieved July 2, 2013.
- ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
- ↑ Lewis, J.D. (2007). "A History of Sparta, North Carolina".
- ↑ National Park Service (2010-07-09). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
- ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
- ↑ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2015". Retrieved July 2, 2016.
- ↑ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
- ↑ http://teapotmuseum.org/ Sparta Teapot Museum
- ↑ http://www.drgrabow.net/ International Pipes & Accessories
External links
Municipalities and communities of Alleghany County, North Carolina, United States | ||
|---|---|---|
| Town |  | |
| Unincorporated communities | ||