Sparta, Oregon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sparta, Oregon
|
|
|---|---|
 Sparta, Oregon
Location in Oregon
Sparta, Oregon
Location in the United States
|
|
| Country | United States |
| State | Oregon |
| County | Baker |
| Elevation | 4,111 ft (1,253 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific (PST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
| Area code(s) | 458 and 541 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1136770 |
Sparta is a small, historic place in Oregon. It's not a big city with its own local government. Instead, it's called an "unincorporated community." This means it's a group of homes and buildings that are part of a larger county, not a separate town. Sparta is located in Baker County, in the state of Oregon, USA.
Discovering Sparta, Oregon
Sparta is an unincorporated community found in Baker County, Oregon. It's a place that holds a lot of history from the early days of the state.
How Sparta Got Its Name
Sparta was named by a man named William H. Packwood. He was an important pioneer in Oregon. A pioneer is someone who is among the first to explore and settle a new area. In 1871, Mr. Packwood visited a place in Illinois also called Sparta, Illinois. He was visiting gold mining areas near the Powder River in Oregon. He decided to name the new community after the town in Illinois.
Life in Early Sparta
By 1873, Sparta was growing! It had about 300 people living there. The town had important businesses like a general store, where people could buy supplies. There was also a hotel for travelers and a meat market. Believe it or not, there was even a brewery! Food for the town came from the nearby Eagle Valley.
The Town's History
The town of Sparta was officially planned out in 1872. This process is called being "platting" a town. It means laying out the streets and property lines. The post office was set up in 1872 and served the community for many years, until 1952.
Interestingly, the post office was first called "Gem" in 1871. It was then moved about a mile east. When it moved, its name was changed to "Sparta" to match the community that was already there. The area was also sometimes known as "Eagle City."
