Visitor & Tourist Information:
City of Sparks
Population: 83,959 (2006 census)
Elevation: 4,413 ft (1,225 m)
County: Washoe County
School District: Washoe County School District
Hospital: Northern Nevada Medical Center
Closest City: Reno, Nevada (5 miles)
Sister City: Garbaldi, OR
City of Sparks website: http://www.ci.sparks.nv.us/
ZIP codes: 89431-89436
Area code: (775)
Local Attractions: (links open in a new window)
Weekly Hometowne Farmer's Market (Summer only)
Nugget's Best in the West Rib Cook Off
Hot August Night's Parade
Cinco De Mayo Festival
4th of July Star Spangled Sparks at the Sparks Marina
Hometowne Christmas Parade
The Big Easy
Silver Club Oktoberfest
Full list of attractions & events: Includes local & regional events
With so many activities and events, we needed a full page to house them all. This includes all Reno & Tahoe events. If you would like your regional or local event added, please contact us at: (775) 358-1976
A Brief History of Sparks:
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.
Since the 1990s Sparks has grown tremendously over a few short years offering residents and visitors a wider array of services and activities. Sparks has been reported as the fastest growing City in Nevada between 1999 - 2008 and continues to grow at a phenomenal rate. Quality of life is cited as one of the main reasons people relocate to the Sparks area.
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Request Visitor & Tourist Information
Travelling to Nevada? You can request a free visitor's packet thats filled with helpful information for FREE courtesy of the Sparks Chamber of Commerce. Find out about activities, events and attractions that carry on all year long. With a wide variety of outdoor activities, there is something for everyone to discover in Sparks.
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Request Relocation Information
Interested in living Sparks, Nevada? Come find out what makes this hidden hot spot so highly desireable. With great weather, numerous activities and a friendly family atmosphere discover why Sparks is the fastest growing City in Nevada. Our free relocation guide includes information on housing and services. Additional information can be found above at "Search for services"
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