Sparta, Illinois
Encyclopedia
Sparta is a city in Randolph County
, Illinois
, United States
. The population was 4,486 at the 2000 census.
The city was the principal filming location for the 1967 film In the Heat of the Night.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 9.2 square miles (23.8 km²), of which 9 square miles (23.3 km²) is land and 0.2 square mile (0.517997622 km²) (1.63%) is water.
s in the United States. Spartan Printing employed as many as 1,000 people at its peak. Later, major comics distributors situated their warehouses in and around Sparta.
(ATA)http://www.shootata.com/ voted to move its headquarters from Vandalia, Ohio
to Sparta. The city and state governments had lobbied hard for the move to Sparta, which was necessitated by the expansion of the James M. Cox
Dayton International Airport
in Vandalia.
In 2006, then Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich
and local dignitaries opened the World Shooting and Recreational Complex http://www.WorldShootingComplex.org north of Sparta. The ATA hosted its first Grand American at the facility in August, with several thousand shooters attending.
While the Grand American is now held in Sparta, the ATA continues to maintain its headquarters in Vandalia, Ohio. It is expected that eventually those offices will also move to Illinois.
of 2000, there were 4,486 people, 1,783 households, and 1,164 families residing in the city. The population density
was 496.6 people per square mile (191.8/km²). There were 2,014 housing units at an average density of 223.0 per square mile (86.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 81.39% White, 15.65% African American, 0.36% Native American, 0.51% Asian, 0.27% from other races
, and 1.83% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.36% of the population.
There were 1,783 households out of which 30.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.9% were married couples
living together, 13.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.7% were non-families. 30.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 3.01.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.6% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 24.8% from 25 to 44, 23.0% from 45 to 64, and 18.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 83.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $34,139, and the median income for a family was $41,908. Males had a median income of $30,386 versus $19,819 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $16,343. About 10.9% of families and 16.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.3% of those under age 18 and 4.2% of those age 65 or over.
Randolph County, Illinois
Randolph County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 33,476, which is a decrease of 1.2% from 33,893 in 2000. Its county seat is Chester....
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 4,486 at the 2000 census.
The city was the principal filming location for the 1967 film In the Heat of the Night.
Geography
Sparta is located at 38°8′N 89°42′W (38.1282, -89.7061).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 9.2 square miles (23.8 km²), of which 9 square miles (23.3 km²) is land and 0.2 square mile (0.517997622 km²) (1.63%) is water.
Printing industry
After World War II, Sparta became known as "Magazineland, U.S.A." due to the presence of numerous printing plants that produced most of the mass-market color comic bookComic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
s in the United States. Spartan Printing employed as many as 1,000 people at its peak. Later, major comics distributors situated their warehouses in and around Sparta.
World Shooting and Recreational Complex
In 2005, the Amateur Trapshooting AssociationAmateur Trapshooting Association
The Amateur Trapshooting Association serves as the governing body for the sport of American style of trapshooting. The ATA was originally founded in 1900 and was originally named the American Trapshooting Association....
(ATA)http://www.shootata.com/ voted to move its headquarters from Vandalia, Ohio
Vandalia, Ohio
Vandalia is a city in Montgomery County, Ohio, United States, and a suburb of Dayton. Its population was 15,246 during the 2010 census. The James M. Cox Dayton International Airport is located in the city...
to Sparta. The city and state governments had lobbied hard for the move to Sparta, which was necessitated by the expansion of the James M. Cox
James M. Cox
James Middleton Cox was the 46th and 48th Governor of Ohio, U.S. Representative from Ohio and Democratic candidate for President of the United States in the election of 1920....
Dayton International Airport
Dayton International Airport
James M. Cox Dayton International Airport , also referred to as simply Dayton International Airport, is a public airport located nine miles north of the central business district of Dayton, a city in Montgomery County, Ohio, United States. The airport is situated in Vandalia and it is owned and...
in Vandalia.
In 2006, then Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich
Rod Blagojevich
Rod R. Blagojevich is an American politician who served as the 40th Governor of Illinois from 2003 to 2009. A Democrat, Blagojevich was a State Representative before being elected to the United States House of Representatives representing parts of Chicago...
and local dignitaries opened the World Shooting and Recreational Complex http://www.WorldShootingComplex.org north of Sparta. The ATA hosted its first Grand American at the facility in August, with several thousand shooters attending.
While the Grand American is now held in Sparta, the ATA continues to maintain its headquarters in Vandalia, Ohio. It is expected that eventually those offices will also move to Illinois.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 4,486 people, 1,783 households, and 1,164 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 496.6 people per square mile (191.8/km²). There were 2,014 housing units at an average density of 223.0 per square mile (86.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 81.39% White, 15.65% African American, 0.36% Native American, 0.51% Asian, 0.27% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.83% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.36% of the population.
There were 1,783 households out of which 30.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.9% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 13.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.7% were non-families. 30.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 3.01.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.6% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 24.8% from 25 to 44, 23.0% from 45 to 64, and 18.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 83.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $34,139, and the median income for a family was $41,908. Males had a median income of $30,386 versus $19,819 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $16,343. About 10.9% of families and 16.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.3% of those under age 18 and 4.2% of those age 65 or over.
External links
- City website
- Randolph County Herald Tribune
- Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Sparta http://www.mylourdes.org