Sparta, Tennessee

Sparta, Tennessee
City

White County Courthouse in Sparta
Nickname(s): Bluegrass USA

Location of Sparta, Tennessee
Coordinates: 35°55′56″N 85°28′11″W / 35.93222°N 85.46972°W / 35.93222; -85.46972Coordinates: 35°55′56″N 85°28′11″W / 35.93222°N 85.46972°W / 35.93222; -85.46972
Country United States
State Tennessee
County White
Founded 1809[1]
Incorporated 1813[1]
Named for Sparta, Greece
Government
 • Mayor Jeff Young
Area
 • Total 6.3 sq mi (16.4 km2)
 • Land 6.3 sq mi (16.4 km2)
 • Water 0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2)
Elevation 922 ft (281 m)
Population (2014 (est.))
 • Total 5,075[2]
 • Density 725.2/sq mi (280.0/km2)
Time zone Central (CST) (UTC-6)
 • Summer (DST) CDT (UTC-5)
ZIP code 38583
Area code(s) 931
FIPS code 47-70180[3]
GNIS feature ID 1269179[4]
Website spartatn.com

Sparta is a city in White County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 4,925 in 2010, and 5,075 according to a 2014 census estimate.[2] It is the county seat of White County.[5]

The Calfkiller River flows through the city.

Seven sites in Sparta are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

History

Sparta was established in 1809 as a county seat for White County, which had been created in 1806. The city was named after the ancient Greek city-state Sparta.[6]

The Sparta Rock House

Sparta nearly became the capital of the state of Tennessee, as, early in the history of Tennessee, the state legislature voted to choose a location for the permanent state capital. The final vote resulted in a near tie between Sparta and Nashville. Sparta lost to Nashville by one vote.[6]

Sparta grew quickly due to its location along the stage road between Knoxville and Nashville. In the 1830s, brothers Barlow and Madison Fisk built the Sparta Rock House, which served as an inn along the stage road. The Rock House, strategically situated in an area where the Cumberland Plateau gives way to the Calfkiller valley, was a common stopover for figures important to the early history of the state, including Andrew Jackson and Sam Houston.[7] The building is now a state historic site and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Sparta in notable as a place where two renowned airmen lost their lives. Hawthorne C. Gray, an aviation record holder, died in a balloon-basket mishap over Sparta in 1927, and Lansing Holden, a World War I flying ace, crashed his plane near Sparta in 1938.

Geography

Sparta is located at 35°55′56″N 85°28′11″W / 35.93222°N 85.46972°W / 35.93222; -85.46972 (35.932335, -85.469837),[8] approximately fifteen miles south of Cookeville. The city is situated on the Highland Rim, near the base of the western escarpment of the Cumberland Plateau. The Calfkiller River traverses Sparta north-to-south en route to its confluence with the Caney Fork several miles to the south.

Sparta is centered just east of the junction of U.S. Route 70, which connects Sparta with Knoxville to the east and Nashville to the west, and State Route 111, which connects Sparta with Kentucky to the north and Chattanooga to the south. The Upper Cumberland Regional Airport is 11 mi (18 km) north of Sparta.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 6.3 square miles (16 km2), all land.

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
1860452—
1870414−8.4%
1890712—
190089525.7%
19101,40957.4%
19201,5177.7%
19302,21145.7%
19402,50613.3%
19504,29971.5%
19604,5104.9%
19704,9309.3%
19804,864−1.3%
19904,681−3.8%
20004,599−1.8%
20104,9257.1%
Est. 20145,075[9]3.0%
Sources:[10][11]

As of the census[3] of 2000, there were 4,599 people, 1,952 households, and 1,270 families residing in the city. The population density was 725.2 people per square mile (280.1/km²). There were 2,192 housing units at an average density of 345.7 per square mile (133.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 91.82% White, 5.28% African American, 0.20% Native American, 0.65% Asian, 0.13% Pacific Islander, 0.67% from other races, and 1.24% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.15% of the population.

There were 1,952 households out of which 27.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.7% were married couples living together, 17.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.9% were non-families. 32.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.81.

In the city the population was spread out with 21.8% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 25.0% from 25 to 44, 22.9% from 45 to 64, and 22.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 85.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.7 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $23,775, and the median income for a family was $33,060. Males had a median income of $26,970 versus $20,295 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,340. About 16.2% of families and 21.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 30.3% of those under age 18 and 14.3% of those age 65 or over.

Notable people

Lester Flatt Memorial in Sparta

References

  1. 1 2 Sparta city website. Retrieved: 16 January 2013.
  2. 1 2 American FactFinder, United States Census Bureau. Accessed: 14 March 2016.
  3. 1 2 "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  4. ↑ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  5. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  6. 1 2 Coral Williams, "Legends and Stories of White County, Tennessee." Transcribed for web content by Dona Terry, 2002. Retrieved: 6 January 2008.
  7. ↑ Tennessee Historical Commission marker 2D 35 on US-70 in Sparta, Tennessee. Information obtained: 5 January 2008.
  8. ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
  9. ↑ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2014". Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  10. ↑ "Census of Population and Housing: Decennial Censuses". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2012-03-04.
  11. ↑ "Incorporated Places and Minor Civil Divisions Datasets: Subcounty Resident Population Estimates: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2012". Population Estimates. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 11 December 2013.
  12. 1 2 Onofrio, Jan (2000). Tennessee Biographical Dictionary. Somerset.
  13. ↑ "David Culley". Kansas City Chiefs. Retrieved November 2013.
  14. ↑ "John C. Floyd". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved November 2013.
  15. ↑ "Erasmus Lee Gardenhire". Overton County News. August 21, 2012.
  16. ↑ Killan, Teresa (March 16, 2009). "From the Bench with Kellie Harper, Award-Winning Coach of the NCAA-Bound Lady Catamounts". Western Carolina University.
  17. ↑ "Benny Martin And His 8 String Fiddle". discogs.com. Retrieved August 21, 2013.
  18. ↑ "SNODGRASS, Charles Edward, (1866 - 1936)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved November 2013.
  19. ↑ Capace, Nancy (2000). Encyclopedia of Tennessee. Somerset.
  20. ↑ "Lefty Stewart". Baseball Reference. Retrieved November 2013.
  21. ↑ "Texas Governor James Webb Throckmorton". National Governors Association. Retrieved November 2013.

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