Sparks, Maryland facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sparks, Maryland
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US Lacrosse headquarters in Sparks, MD
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 Sparks, Maryland
Location in Maryland
Sparks, Maryland
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Maryland |
| County |  Baltimore |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP codes |
21152
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Sparks is a small, friendly community located in Baltimore County, Maryland, in the United States. It's about 20 miles north of the big city of Baltimore. Think of it as a quiet neighborhood just outside a busy city. The beautiful Gunpowder River flows right through Sparks, adding to its natural charm.
A popular path for walking and biking, called the North Central Railroad ("NCR") Hike-Bike Trail, also runs through Sparks. It follows the path of the Gunpowder River. Sparks has its own ZIP Code, 21152, and is easy to reach from Interstate 83. Even though Sparks doesn't have official town borders, the area people call "Sparks" stretches quite a bit. In 2010, about 5,094 people lived here. Sometimes, Sparks is known as "Sparks Glencoe, Maryland" because a smaller community called Glencoe is nearby.
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Sparks: A Look Back in Time
How Sparks Got Its Name
Back in 1835, a railroad track was built through Baltimore County. It had a special stop near land owned by the Sparks family. Railroad workers named this stop "Sparks' Switch." Soon, people started calling the whole area "Sparks' Switch."
An interesting historical fact: In 1865, after Abraham Lincoln was assassinated, his body traveled through Sparks on this very railroad, on its way to Illinois.
For many years, there was a creamery where farmers brought their milk. The cream was sent to Baltimore, and the skim milk was used on the farms. The stone building that once held this creamery can still be seen today! Over time, "Sparks' Switch" became simply "Sparks." By 1888, the area had grown so much that a large footbridge was built over the Gunpowder River.
The Railroad Era
Starting in 1889, the Northern Central Railway (NCR) ran a station in Sparks. It was called Sparks Station and handled both people and goods. However, train service through Sparks stopped in 1972. This happened because Hurricane Agnes caused a lot of damage to the tracks and railroad bed.
The part of Sparks along York Road was once called Philopolis. This name comes from Greek words meaning "Love Town." Today, a neighborhood in Sparks is even named "Loveton Farms." The original town of Sparks was actually a small group of homes and farms about a mile east of Philopolis.
Philopolis was home to the Milton Academy, a famous private school for boys. Did you know that John Wilkes Booth, who assassinated Abraham Lincoln, was once a student there? The Milton Academy building is still standing today on York Road in Sparks. It's now a beautiful restaurant called the Milton Inn.
Other famous people from the area include Wallace Warfield Simpson, also known as the Duchess of Windsor, and the Princess of Jordan. They both went to the nearby Oldfields School, a private boarding school for young women. The older part of Sparks also had important shops like a blacksmith, a wheelwright (someone who makes and repairs wheels), an undertaker, a milliner (a hat maker), and a general store. Eventually, the whole area became known as Sparks, and the name Philopolis faded away.
Sparks in the 1900s
In 1909, six small country schools joined together to form what is now known as the historic Sparks Elementary School building on Sparks Road. Sadly, an electrical fire completely destroyed the inside of Sparks Elementary School on January 8, 1995. Even though the outside stone walls remained, the building couldn't be used as a school anymore.
Students who were supposed to go to Sparks Elementary were moved to a temporary school area inside Cockeysville Middle School. New kindergarten students went to a temporary classroom at Bosley Church in Sparks. A brand new Sparks Elementary School was built on Belfast Road, about a mile west of the old one. It opened its doors on November 23, 1998.
In 1913, a general store and warehouse were built, and the post office moved to Sparks Road. The Sparks State Bank was built next to the store in 1916. Both the bank and the post office have since moved back to York Road, which is now the main business area. The bank moved in 1954 because fewer trains were running and the Gunpowder River often flooded. Some of the bank's safe deposit boxes even had water in them from past floods! The original Sparks Bank building is still there. Today, it's a Nature Center for young children, run by volunteers from Gunpowder Falls State Park and the NCR Hike and Bike Trail.
Sparks Today: A Hub for Businesses
Sparks, especially the Loveton business area, is a growing place for companies. From 1995 to 2011, it was the main office for the sportswear company FILA USA.
- KELLY: This company helps with employee benefits and payroll. It moved into the old Fila headquarters in Sparks in 2015 and has 500 employees.
- Firaxis Games: A well-known video game company, Firaxis Games, also moved to Sparks in 2009.
- McCormick & Company: This big company makes spices, herbs, and flavorings. It was based in Sparks until late 2018.
- US Lacrosse: The main office for US Lacrosse moved to Sparks in 2016.
- Apex Tool Group: This company, which makes tools, is also based in Sparks.
