Sparks

 

city (1990 pop. 53,367), Washoe co., W Nev., just E of Reno; inc. 1905. The Southern Pacific RR was the major employer until the dieselization of railroad engines forced the closing (1957) of the railroad shops there. The city still has railroad activities, and tourism is a major industry. Manufactures include medical supplies; modular structures; machinery; transportation equipment; concrete, paper, and wood products; electrical and electronic equipment; and restaurant equipment. There is also printing and publishing and minerals exploration. Sparks is in the Reno metropolitan area, one of the fastest-growing areas of the United States. Points of interest include a planetarium and a monument honoring the Chinese who built the railroad.

Sparks, Nevada
Nickname: City of promise
Location of Sparks in Nevada
Coordinates: 39°33′16″N 119°44′8″W / 39.55444, -119.73556
Country	United States
State	Nevada
Government
- Mayor	Geno Martini
Area
- City	sq mi (km²)
- Land	sq mi ( km²)
- Water	sq mi ( km²)
Elevation	ft ( m)
Population (2006)
- City
Time zone	PST (UTC-8)
- Summer (DST)	PDT (UTC-7)
ZIP codes	89431-89436
Area code(s)	775
FIPS code	32-68400
GNIS feature ID	0856391
Website: http://www.ci.sparks.nv.us/

Sparks is a city in Washoe County, Nevada, United States. The population was 66,346 at the 2000 census. Estimates in 2006 place the population at around 90,000 due to rapid growth in areas such as Spanish Springs, Wingfield Springs, and D'Andrea. Although Sparks was originally distinct from Reno, they have both grown toward each other to such a degree that today the border between them is purely political. They are often referred to as a twin city (i.e. "Reno-Sparks").

Geography

Sparks is located at 39°33′16″N, 119°44′8″W (39.554543, -119.735643)¹.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 62.1 km² (24.0 mi²). 62.0 km² (23.9 mi²) of it is land and 0.2 km² (0.1 mi²) of it (0.25%) is water. Stormwater surface runoff from the city drains to the Truckee River, a sensitive hydrological element because it empties into Pyramid Lake, which has no outlet and is the habitat of two endangered species.

Demographics

As of the census² of 2000, there were 66,346 people, 24,601 households, and 16,630 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,070.9/km² (2,773.6/mi²). There were 26,025 housing units at an average density of 420.1/km² (1,088.0/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 78.38% White, 2.40% African American, 1.18% Native American, 4.99% Asian, 0.50% Pacific Islander, 9.11% from other races, and 3.46% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 19.70% of the population.

There were 24,601 households out of which 35.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.0% were married couples living together, 12.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.4% were non-families. 24.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.19.

In the city the population was spread out with 26.9% under the age of 18, 9.2% from 18 to 24, 31.6% from 25 to 44, 22.1% from 45 to 64, and 10.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 97.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $45,745, and the median income for a family was $52,029. Males had a median income of $35,215 versus $28,242 for females. The per capita income for the city was $21,122. About 6.5% of families and 8.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.8% of those under age 18 and 5.5% of those age 65 or over.

History

In the early historical period, the area that is now Sparks was inhabited by the Washoe people. Euro-American settlement of area began in the early 1850s. Early settlers often sold cattle to California-bound emigrants. The emigrants' cattle were commonly weak and sick from the long and arduous journey along the California Trail, and they needed fresh animals to take them over the Sierra Nevada. As part of the deal, the settlers would receive the emigrants' cattle, and then fatten them up to sell to the next year's batch of emigrants.

The population density in the area remained very low until 1904 when the Southern Pacific Railroad built a switch yard and maintenance sheds there. The city that sprung up around them was first called Harriman after Edward Harriman who was then president of the railroad. The city was quickly renamed Sparks after John Sparks, who was the Governor of Nevada at that time. This gesture was an unsuccessful attempt to forestall safety and tariff regulation of the railroads by the state.

Sparks remained a small and sleepy town until the 1950s, when economic growth in Reno triggered a housing boom in the area of Sparks north of the railroad. In the 1970s the area south of the railroad started to fill up with warehouses and light industry. In 1984 the tower for John Ascuaga's Nugget was finished, giving Sparks its first, and to this date only, high-rise casino. In 1996, the redevelopment effort of the old and unsightly B Street business district across from the Nugget that started in the early 1980s took a step forward with the opening of a multi-screen movie complex and the construction of a plaza area. This area, now known as Victorian Square, is a pedestrian-friendly district that hosts many open-air events.

Under direction of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, a comprehensive dynamic water quality computer model, the DSSAM Model was developed(Earth Metrics, 1987) to analyze impacts of a variety of land use and stormwater management decisions throughout the 3120 square mile Truckee River Basin; this model was used to develop a set of surface runoff stormwater management measures for Sparks in the 1980s.

Transportation

Main article: Sparks (Amtrak station)

Amtrak, the national passenger rail system, provides service to Sparks. The city's passenger rail station is centrally located on Nugget Avenue east of 11th Street, within the Union Pacific Railroad Yard. Amtrak Train 5, the westbound California Zephyr, is scheduled to depart Sparks at 8:55am every day and serves the cities of Reno, Truckee, Colfax, Roseville, Sacramento, Davis, Martinez and Emeryville, across the bay from San Francisco. Amtrak Train 6, the eastbound California Zephyr, is scheduled to depart Sparks at 4:08pm every day and serves the cities of Winnemucca, Elko, Salt Lake, Provo, Helper, Green River, Grand Junction, Glenwood Springs, Denver, Omaha, Galesburg, and Chicago.

Facts

• Sparks plays host annually to the Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook-off.
• The Sparks area is served by the Washoe County School District.
• Locals joke that "Reno is so close to hell you can see Sparks."
• T.J. Bell, an ARCA driver, is a notable resident.
• Brian Crane, the creator of the comic strip Pickles, resides in Sparks.

See also

• Reno, Nevada
• Truckee River

References

• Earth Metrics Inc, C.M.Hogan, Marc Papineau et al. Development of a dynamic water quality simulation model for the Truckee River, Environmental Protection Agency Technology Series, Washington D.C. (1987)

External links

• City Of Sparks, NV Official Site
• Sparks, NV Chamber Of Commerce

Coordinates: 39.554543° N 119.735643° W

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