Sparta, Georgia

{{Use American English|date=June 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}} {{Infobox settlement  |official_name = Sparta, Georgia |other_name = |native_name =  |nickname = |settlement_type = City |motto =  |image_skyline = Sparta Historic District 2.JPG |imagesize = |image_caption = Sparta Historic District |image_flag = |flag_size = |image_seal = |seal_size = |image_shield = |shield_size = |image_blank_emblem = |blank_emblem_type = |blank_emblem_size = |image_map = Hancock_County_Georgia_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Sparta_Highlighted.svg |mapsize = 250px |map_caption = Location in Hancock County and the state of Georgia |image_map1 = |mapsize1 = |map_caption1 = |image_dot_map = |dot_mapsize = |dot_map_caption = |dot_x = |dot_y = |pushpin_map =  |pushpin_label_position =  |pushpin_map_caption = |pushpin_mapsize =  |subdivision_type = Country |subdivision_name = United States |subdivision_type1 = State |subdivision_name1 = Georgia |subdivision_type2 = County |subdivision_name2 = Hancock |subdivision_type3 = |subdivision_name3 = |subdivision_type4 = |subdivision_name4 =  |government_footnotes = |government_type = |leader_title = |leader_name = |leader_title1 =  |leader_name1 = |leader_title2 = |leader_name2 = |leader_title3 = |leader_name3 = |leader_title4 = |leader_name4 = |established_title =  |established_date = December 5, 1805 |established_title2 =  |established_date2 = |established_title3 =  |established_date3 =  |area_magnitude = |unit_pref = Imperial |area_footnotes = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2020">{{cite web|title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_13.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=December 18, 2021}}</ref> |area_total_km2 = 4.72 |area_land_km2 = 4.69 |area_water_km2 = 0.03 |area_total_sq_mi = 1.82 |area_land_sq_mi = 1.81 |area_water_sq_mi = 0.01 |area_water_percent = |area_urban_km2 = |area_urban_sq_mi = |area_metro_km2 = |area_metro_sq_mi = |area_blank1_title = |area_blank1_km2 = |area_blank1_sq_mi =  |population_as_of = 2020 |population_footnotes = |population_note = |population_total = 1357 |population_density_km2 = 289.27 |population_density_sq_mi = 749.31 |population_metro = |population_density_metro_km2 = |population_density_metro_sq_mi = |population_urban = |population_density_urban_km2 = |population_density_urban_sq_mi = |population_blank1_title = |population_blank1 = |population_density_blank1_km2 = |population_density_blank1_sq_mi =  |timezone = Eastern (EST) |utc_offset = -5 |timezone_DST = EDT |utc_offset_DST = -4 |coordinates = {{coord|33|17|N|82|58|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}} |elevation_footnotes =  |elevation_m = |elevation_ft =  |postal_code_type = ZIP code |postal_code = 31087 |area_code = 706 |blank_name = FIPS code |blank_info = 13-72584<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=2008-01-31|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref> |blank1_name = GNIS feature ID |blank1_info = 0323330<ref name="GR3-u">{{cite gnis|323330|Sparta|2026-02-24}}</ref> |website = {{URL|https://www.cityofsparta.org/}} |footnotes = |pop_est_as_of = |pop_est_footnotes = |population_est = }} '''Sparta''' is a city in and the county seat of Hancock County, Georgia, United States.<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=https://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx|access-date=2011-06-07|title=Find a County|publisher=National Association of Counties}}</ref> The city's population was 1,357 at the 2020 census.

==History== Sparta was founded in 1795 in the newly formed Hancock County. It became the county seat in 1797, was incorporated as a town in 1805, and later as a city in 1893.<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=REtEXQNWq6MC&pg=PA247 | title=Historical Gazetteer of the United States | publisher=Routledge | date=May 13, 2013 | access-date=30 November 2013 | author=Hellmann, Paul T. | pages=247| isbn=978-1135948597 }}</ref> The community was named after Sparta, a city-state in Ancient Greece.<ref>{{cite book | url=http://www.kenkrakow.com/gpn/s.pdf| title=Georgia Place-Names: Their History and Origins | publisher=Winship Press | author=Krakow, Kenneth K. | year=1975 | location=Macon, GA | pages=210 | isbn=0-915430-00-2}}</ref>

In 1864, during Sherman's March to the Sea, the town remained completely unscathed, reportedly due to the efforts of Confederate Captain Henry Culver, the son-in-law of local industrialist William Fraley, who successfully diverted Union troops away from the area.<ref>{{Cite web |title=William Fraley |url=http://www.friendsofcems.org/hancock/SpartaCemetery/MoreInfo.php?050A097002&PersName=William%20%20%20Fraley |access-date=2024-09-14 |website=www.friendsofcems.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Sparta - Georgia Historical Society |url=https://www.georgiahistory.com/ghmi_marker_updated/sparta/ |access-date=2024-09-14 |website=www.georgiahistory.com/ |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Geography== According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of {{convert|1.8|sqmi|km2}}, all land.

===Major highways=== * 20px State Route 15 * 20px State Route 16 * 20px State Route 22

==Demographics== {{US Census population |1880= 848 |1890= 1540 |1900= 1150 |1910= 1715 |1920= 1895 |1930= 1613 |1940= 1872 |1950= 1954 |1960= 1921 |1970= 2172 |1980= 1754 |1990= 1710 |2000= 1522 |2010= 1400 |2020= 1357 |estyear= |estimate= |estref= |align-fn=center |footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/decade.html|title=Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decade|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=}}</ref> 1850-1870<ref name=1870CensusGA>{{Cite web|first= |last= |authorlink= |title= 1870 Census of Population - Georgia - Population of Civil Divisions less than Counties |publisher=United States Census Bureau|date= 1870|url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1870/population/1870a-13.pdf |accessdate=|archive-url=| archive-date=|page=}}</ref> 1870-1880<ref name=1880CensusGA>{{Cite web|first= |last= |authorlink= |title= 1880 Census of Population - Georgia - Population of Civil Divisions less than Counties |publisher=United States Census Bureau|date= 1880|url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1880/vol-01-population/1880_v1-09.pdf |accessdate=|archive-url=| archive-date=|page=}}</ref> 1890-1910<ref name=1910CensusGA>{{Cite web |first= |last= |authorlink= |title= 1910 Census of Population - Georgia |publisher= United States Census Bureau |date= 1910 |url= https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1910/abstract/supplement-ga.pdf |accessdate= |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20240116032336/https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1910/abstract/supplement-ga.pdf |archive-date= January 16, 2024 |page= |url-status= dead }}</ref> 1920-1930<ref name=1930CensusGA>{{Cite web|first= |last= |authorlink= |title= 1930 Census of Population - Georgia |publisher=United States Census Bureau|date= 1930|url=https://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/03815512v1ch04.pdf |accessdate=|archive-url=| archive-date=|pages=251–256}}</ref> 1940<ref name=1940CensusGA>{{Cite web|first= |last= |authorlink= |title= 1940 Census of Population - Georgia |publisher=United States Census Bureau|date= 1940|url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1940/population-volume-1/33973538v1ch04.pdf |accessdate=|archive-url=| archive-date=}}</ref> 1950<ref name=1950CensusGA>{{Cite web|first= |last= |authorlink= |title= 1950 Census of Population - Georgia |publisher=United States Census Bureau|date= 1950|url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1950/population-volume-2/37779083v2p11ch2.pdf |accessdate=|archive-url=| archive-date=}}</ref> 1960<ref name=1960CensusGA>{{Cite web|first= |last= |authorlink= |title= 1960 Census of Population - Population of County Subdivisions - Georgia |publisher=United States Census Bureau|date= 1960|url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1960/population-volume-1/vol-01-12-c.pdf|accessdate=|archive-url=| archive-date=}}</ref> 1970<ref name=1970CensusGA>{{Cite web|first= |last= |authorlink= |title= 1970 Census of Population - Population of County Subdivisions - Georgia |publisher=United States Census Bureau|date= 1970|url=https://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1970a_ga-01.pdf|accessdate=|archive-url=| archive-date=}}</ref> 1980<ref name=1980CensusGA>{{Cite web|first= |last= |authorlink= |title= 1980 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Georgia |publisher=United States Census Bureau|date= 1980|url=https://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1980a_gaABC-01.pdf|accessdate=|archive-url=| archive-date=}}</ref> 1990<ref name=1990CensusGA>{{Cite web|first= |last= |authorlink= |title= 1990 Census of Population - Summary Social, Economic, and Housing Characteristics - Georgia |publisher=United States Census Bureau|date= 1990|url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1990/cph-5/cph-5-12.pdf|accessdate=|archive-url=| archive-date=}}</ref> 2000<ref name=2000CensusGA>{{Cite web|first= |last= |authorlink= |title= 2000 Census of Population - General Population Characteristics - Georgia |publisher=United States Census Bureau|date= 2000|url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/2003/dec/phc-3-12.pdf |accessdate=|archive-url=| archive-date=}}</ref> 2010<ref name=2010CensusGA>{{Cite web|first= |last= |authorlink= |title= 2010 Census of Population - General Population Characteristics - Georgia |publisher=United States Census Bureau|date= 2010|url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/2010/cph-2/cph-2-12.pdf|accessdate=|archive-url=| archive-date=}}</ref> | align = right }}

===2020 census=== As of the 2020 census, Sparta had a population of 1,357. The median age was 49.0 years. 18.9% of residents were under the age of 18 and 24.8% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 90.6 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 88.9 males age 18 and over.<ref name="Census2020DP">{{cite web|title=2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/dp?get=NAME,DP1_0021P,DP1_0024P,DP1_0025C,DP1_0049C,DP1_0045C,DP1_0069C,DP1_0073C,DP1_0125P,DP1_0126P,DP1_0129P,DP1_0133P,DP1_0137P,DP1_0138P,DP1_0139P,DP1_0141P,DP1_0142P,DP1_0143P,DP1_0145P,DP1_0146P,DP1_0147C,DP1_0148C,DP1_0149C,DP1_0156C,DP1_0157C,DP1_0158C,DP1_0159P,DP1_0160P&for=place%3A72584&in=state%3A13|website=United States Census Bureau|year=2021|access-date=May 1, 2026|df=mdy}}</ref><ref name="Census2020PL">{{cite web|title=2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/pl?get=NAME,P1_001N,P1_003N,P1_004N,P1_005N,P1_006N,P1_007N,P1_008N,P1_009N,P2_001N,P2_002N,H1_001N,H1_002N&for=place%3A72584&in=state%3A13|website=United States Census Bureau|year=2021|access-date=May 1, 2026|df=mdy}}</ref>

0.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.<ref name="Census2020DHC">{{cite web|title=2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/dhc?get=NAME,P2_002N,P2_003N&for=place%3A72584&in=state%3A13|website=United States Census Bureau|year=2023|access-date=May 1, 2026|df=mdy}}</ref>

There were 546 households in Sparta, of which 26.9% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 25.1% were married-couple households, 24.7% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 44.3% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 38.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.<ref name="Census2020DP"/>

There were 651 housing units, of which 16.1% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.0% and the rental vacancy rate was 5.9%.<ref name="Census2020DP"/>

{| class="wikitable" |+ Racial composition as of the 2020 census<ref name="Census2020PL"/> ! Race !! Number !! Percent |- | White || 189 || 13.9% |- | Black or African American || 1,116 || 82.2% |- | American Indian and Alaska Native || 1 || 0.1% |- | Asian || 23 || 1.7% |- | Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander || 0 || 0.0% |- | Some other race || 0 || 0.0% |- | Two or more races || 28 || 2.1% |- | ''Hispanic or Latino (of any race)'' || 11 || 0.8% |} ==Economy== Sparta is the site of Georgia's Hancock State Prison.

==Education==

===Hancock County School District===

The Hancock County School District holds pre-school to grade twelve, and consists of one elementary school, a middle school, and a high school.<ref>[http://www.doe.k12.ga.us/ReportingFW.aspx?PageReq=111&PID=62&PTID=69&CountyId=670&T=0&FY=2009 Georgia Board of Education]{{dead link|date=March 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, Retrieved June 11, 2010.</ref> The district has 83 full-time teachers and over 670 students.

*Lewis Elementary School *Hancock Central Middle School *Hancock Central High School * John Hancock Academy

==Notable people== *Thomas "Pee Wee" Butts – professional baseball player<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/nlb/player.cgi?id=butts-001tho |title=Thomas Butts |publisher=baseball-reference.com |access-date=2014-05-29}}</ref> *George Darden – United States Representative from Georgia who went to high school in Sparta *Harvey Grant – professional basketball player *Horace Grant – professional basketball player *Tommy Hurricane Jackson – professional boxer *Adella Hunt Logan – suffragist *Jean Toomer – Harlem Renaissance writer and poet, once served as a principal in Sparta *Angeria Paris VanMicheals – drag queen and finalist on season 14 of RuPaul's Drag Race and winner of the ninth season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars.

==See also== {{Portal|State of Georgia}} *Central Savannah River Area * Rossiter-Little House - Oldest house in Sparta

==References== <references />

==Further reading== * [http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Article.jsp?id=h-2238 "History of Sparta, Georgia"], ''Georgia Encyclopedia'' (John Rozier, Emory University), 12/5/2008 * Kent Anderson Leslie, ''Woman of Color, Daughter of Privilege: Amanda America Dickson, 1849-1893'' (Athens: University of Georgia Press, 1995). * John Rozier, ''Black Boss: Political Revolution in a Georgia County'' (Athens: University of Georgia Press, 1982). * John Rozier, ''The Houses of Hancock, 1785-1865'' (Decatur, Ga.: privately printed, 1996). * John Rozier, ed., ''The Granite Farm Letters: The Civil War Correspondence of Edgeworth and Sallie Bird'' (Athens: University of Georgia Press, 1988). * Forrest Shivers, ''The Land Between: A History of Hancock County, Georgia, to 1940'' (Spartanburg, S.C.: Reprint Co., 1990).

==External links== * [http://georgiainfo.galileo.usg.edu/topics/historical_markers/county/hancock/sparta Sparta] historical marker * [http://georgiainfo.galileo.usg.edu/topics/historical_markers/county/hancock/sparta-cemetery Sparta Cemetery] historical marker * [http://georgiainfo.galileo.usg.edu/topics/historical_markers/county/hancock/pierce-memorial-methodist-church Pierce Memorial Methodist Church] historical marker

Category:Cities in Georgia (U.S. state) Category:Cities in Hancock County, Georgia Category:County seats in Georgia (U.S. state) Category:Milledgeville micropolitan area, Georgia