Sparks, Nebraska facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sparks, Nebraska
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Post office and general store in Sparks
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 Sparks, Nebraska
Location in Nebraska
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| Country | United States |
| State | Nebraska |
| County | Cherry |
| Elevation | 2,602 ft (793 m) |
| Population
(2000)
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| • Total | 7 |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP codes |
69220
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| GNIS feature ID | 833641 |
Sparks is a small, unincorporated community in Cherry County, Nebraska, United States. This means it's a village that isn't officially a city or town with its own local government. Sparks is located about 2,602 feet (793 meters) above sea level. It has its own post office with the ZIP code 69220.
Even though it's small, Sparks has a few interesting businesses. One is Dryland Aquatics, an "outfitting company" that helps visitors enjoy the nearby Niobrara River by providing gear and guides for activities like tubing or kayaking. This company has been around since 1980. The Sparks Store is a central spot, as it houses both the post office and Dryland Aquatics. You can also visit the Sparks Museum of History to learn about the area's past. Just southwest of Sparks, you'll find the beautiful Smith Falls.
Contents
Sparks: A Glimpse into Its Past
How Sparks Got Its Name
Sparks was named after two brothers, Eldon and Joseph A. Sparks. They bought the land on October 5, 1887, from the first pioneer settler, James Hudson. Hudson had arrived in March 1884. The Sparks brothers were bankers from Valentine and hoped a railway line would eventually come through the area, but it never did.
Before the Sparks brothers bought the land, the area was known as the "Hudson corner." This was because James Hudson and his family had settled nearby. In December 1887, people started talking about creating a new town on the land near James Hudson's place. They decided to call it Sparks.
Early Development and Community Life
The Sparks brothers sold a 10-acre piece of land in March 1889 to the Sparks Improvement Company. This company then started selling smaller lots for people to build on.
The land north of the Niobrara River was settled in 1883. This area was called Seven Creeks. In June 1890, the area was divided into two parts: Sparks and Kewanee precincts. These are still the names for these areas today.
A post office and general store were opened in Sparks in 1888, and they have been operating ever since.
Building the Community Church
In 1888, a group of pioneers formed a church committee and started building a church. By 1889, the church was finished. The pioneers used logs from the Niobrara canyons and milled them right there in the community. To celebrate the church's completion, they held a "Harvest Home Celebration." This event later became known as "Old Settlers" and is still celebrated today. It's one of the longest-running gatherings in Nebraska that honors the early settlers.
The Sparks Church was important because it served as both a place of worship and a community hall. It's a significant historical landmark because it still looks much like it did when it was first built.
The Sparks Cemetery
The Sparks Cemetery is located about half a mile east of the town. It was started even before the town and church were built. The first person buried there was Stella Grooms in 1885. She was the daughter of early pioneers John S. and Annie Grooms. The land for the cemetery was given by the Henry Chaufty family, another pioneer family in Sparks. Many of the early settlers of the Sparks area are buried in this cemetery.
Education in Early Sparks
As soon as pioneers settled in the area in 1883, many schools were established. The first school in the town of Sparks itself opened in December 1892.
The Sparks Store: A Long History
George Sawyer built the first "rock store" in Sparks. This store also housed the post office, which opened on March 15, 1888. In March 1889, George Sawyer and J. A. Brewer created the Sparks Improvement Company. They sold lots of land, and the first lot was sold to S. E. Nader in November 1890.
Sadly, the original rock store was destroyed in a fire in 1900. Curtis Callen bought the lots in June 1901 and rebuilt the rock store. He also built a house next to it, which is still lived in today.
Over the years, the store and surrounding properties changed hands many times:
- In 1908, Peter Simons bought the store.
- In 1920, John and Rose Langer Simons took over and ran the store and post office for 25 years.
- In 1945, Waldo and Nadine Simons became the owners.
- In 1952, the current "Steel building" was built on the west side of the store. Waldo ran the store for 45 years.
- In 1985, Lou and Jan Christiansen from Fremont bought the town of Sparks. They had started Dryland Aquatics in Fremont in 1980 and moved its main office to the Sparks General Store in 1985.
- In May 1998, Edward and Louise Egelhoff Heinert bought Sparks and Dryland Aquatics. They added a "bunk house" (a building with beds for visitors) that used to be a school computer lab in Valentine. Later, the old Sparks School building was also bought and turned into another bunkhouse. The Heinerts still own Sparks and continue to run Dryland Aquatics.
