Sparta

History

The Sparta area was first settled in 1844, with the township formally organized in 1846. The first settler in what is now the village was Jonathan Nash in 1846. Calling the place Nashville, he built a sawmill on Lick Creek. Subsequently, he changed the name of the creek to Nash Creek. Seeing as there was already a Nashville in Michigan, the state legislature suggested Sparta. The village was platted in 1867 and incorporated in 1883. During World War II, Sparta was host to a German prisoner of war camp. The POWs were put to work as farmhands because many of the farmhands from the town had left to go fight in the war. The prisoners were treated relatively well, and later even wrote letters to the owner of the farm they worked on saying such things as, "I like to think back on the nice time we could spend on your farm." In the early to late 1960s, Sparta was home to Fenton Records, an independent record company and recording studio. The label recorded many local bands, as well as other Michigan garage bands. Due to the limited runs of the records, Fenton vinyl 45rpms are highly collectable, often selling for hundreds of dollars each. Many of the records were compiled on a CD called Scream Loud!!!: The Fenton Records Story (Way Back Records).

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , of which is land and (0.40%) is water. The Rogue River flows through the eastern portion of the village. * runs north–south through the westernmost portion of the village.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  9,948
• Black-capped Chickadee

  Poecile atricapillus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  9,732
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  8,324
• Downy Woodpecker

  Dryobates pubescens (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  8,060
• White-breasted Nuthatch

  Sitta carolinensis Latham, 1790 · Aves
  7,515
• American Robin

  Turdus migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  7,433
• Tufted Titmouse

  Baeolophus bicolor (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  7,404
• Red-bellied Woodpecker

  Melanerpes carolinus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  7,010