 Sparks Population: 59,880 (est. 1995) Elevation: 4400 feet
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Sparks was an afterthought of the railroad's,
created to the east of Reno in 1904 to replace Wadsworth as the big switching yard on this
section of the Southern Pacific Railroad.
Originally named Harriman after the railroad tycoon, Sparks was
hurriedly rechristened to honor Governor John T. Sparks, whose ranch was nearby. This
gesture of respect and admiration by the S.P. was made just as an anti-railroad
rebellion boiled up in the legislature, eventually resulting in the
creation of the Public Service Commission to regulate railroad tariffs.Family oriented and hard-working, Sparks was so solid and dull that it
sometimes became the butt of local jokes. Early example: "Reno is so close
to Hell you can see Sparks."In 1907 a reform-minded city council outlawed the popular local pastime of
driving up to a saloon in a buggy and having drinks at the curb. Other than
the endless banging of the boxcars in the switching yard and the clanging
and hissing and whistling and squealing of the through trains in and out of
the station, everything was quiet in Sparks for nearly 50 years as the
little city grew slowly with the railroad.In the 1950s Sparks changed. Acre upon acre of brown composition roofs
blossomed up out of the brown dirt as one curbed-and-guttered subdivision
after another appeared in the grazing lands on the northeast. For more than
a dozen years the growth continued, and Sparks became even quieter as a
residential community in which the railroad played a much diminished role.
In the 1970s Sparks began to grow in a new and unexpected direction. Family
farms and pasturelands south of the city were transmogrified into lowrise
warehousing, small manufacturing plants and light industry connected by an
asphalt grid of new streets.Now Sparks is changing again. John Ascuaga gave Sparks its first
skyscraper, and now the homely old business structures of Harriman are
being replaced or restored to a confectionary Victorian dream of luxury and
romance they never aspired to 90 years ago. B Street - oops, Victorian
Avenue - is bright with lights and lively with public events the year
around now.Some of the architecture may be more Walt Disney than Queen Victoria, but
there's no doubt that the vivaceous scene downtown reflects a brighter,
more inviting character for Sparks than ever before.
Sparks is Nevada's fourth-largest city and offers abundant services to
travelers. The Chamber of Commerce provides area information at the little
railroad station by the Pyramid Way freeway onramp at Victorian Avenue.In Sparks any discussion of food starts (and sometimes ends) with John
Ascuaga's Nugget, where a huge new hotel towers and immense parking garage
were built on the enormous success of the eight restaurants - the
Rotisserie Room, the Oyster Bar, Trader Dick's, and others - in this
otherwise unremarkable gambling hall. Some of Nevada's best food is served
at the Nugget, but there are other enjoyable options in Sparks as well.The Silver Club across the Avenue has a grand buffet and restaurant, and
Jack's Coffee Shop down the street serves a classic menu. The Great Basin Brewery is a local favorite with prize-winning beer, ale, porter and stout on tap. One example: the unique Harvest Ale, surely the only brew in the world made with piñon pine nuts, juniper berries and sagebrush. The food's good too, served outside in warm weather, and there's an entertainment schedule strong on acoustic (non-amped) music
You can pull your
rig in at a truck stop and join the truck drivers in feeding at platters of
hearty fare: Sierra Sid's is on McCarran just north of the freeway; the
Alamo is just south of the freeway between the Sparks and Vista Avenue
exits at the far eastern side of the city. Craig's Restaurant at 430 N.
McCarran (across from Mervyn's) is a local favorite all day long, and B J's
Barbecue a little farther north (next to Safeway) wins prizes for its ribs. Applebee's
Neighborhood Bar & Grill on north McCarran is a newcomer, and Jose Jose on
Prater Way two blocks east of Rock is authentically Mexican.Enlightening the atmosphere on Sparks' east side is Wild Island, a water
park devoted to providing enjoyment exhilarating or soothing as you please.
The mountain peaks against the western sky sky seem especially lovely and
far away from the splashing sprays of water and the eager voices of the
children, and the summer sky is never brassier than when observed from an
innertube meandering around on the long, slow sissy ride around the
perimeter of the park. To experience the thrill of victory or the agony of
defeat in the mildest possible way, you can also stop in at Adventure Golf
next door and go a round or two.
Calendar of Annual Events
MAY
JULY & AUGUST
SEPTEMBER
DECEMBER Welcome to Sparks These businesses are pleased to welcome you
BJ's BARBECUE.
GREAT BASIN BREWING COMPANY. |
