On March 15, 1905, the City of Sparks was created when then Governor John Sparks signed a bill to mark its existence. On March 15, 2024, the Sparks Museum will be celebrating the city’s 119th birthday at 5:30 p.m. with cake, the Mayor’s Exhibit, and the launch of the Sparks History Map.
Inside the museum, the Mayor’s Exhibit pays homage to every mayor that has represented the region throughout the city’s history. View memorabilia and photos of all the city’s mayors, which have been either donated by former mayors and their families or part of the museum’s collection.
Some of the notable items in the exhibit include interesting gavels, the Sparks monopoly game, and a stained-glass tribute to former mayor Tony Armstrong. Photos and artwork donated by Judge Jim Spoo are part of the collection, as well as commemorative license plates, a plethora of martini glasses that former mayor Geno Martini collected, and artistic renderings/city plans of the emerging Victorian Square donated by former mayor Bruce Breslow. The museum also has a photograph of the city’s first mayor—William Dalton—who served from 1905-1907. There are newspaper clippings and stories of all 25 Sparks mayors.
The Mayor’s Exhibit will be on display for the next few months and open to the public from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. Sparks Mayor Ed Lawson and former mayor Jim Spoo will be at the Sparks 119th Birthday event, and they’ll be cutting the cake with a historic artifact- Governor John Sparks’ US Marshal sword.
Coinciding with the birthday of Sparks, the museum is also launching the Sparks History Map. This project was created to document the landmark buildings and places that make Sparks what it is today. There are more than 100 entries on the digital map with photographs and stories showcasing their prominence, from The Food Mart on 18th Street and Prater Way to Walstab Hotel.
“History itself is relative; history is yesterday,” says Sparks Museum Executive Director Christine Johnson. “We’re hoping to mark everything from the early homes of 1904 and have this grow, but it’s currently rooted in the historic district,” she adds.
The map will hopefully act as a “living archive” that shares the Sparks story with future generations, and community members are also invited to send in their own entries of iconic and memorable Sparks places. To view the Sparks History Map and Share Your Sparks please visit https://sparksmuseum.org/sparks-history-map/.
The Sparks Heritage Museum is an independent nonprofit that has been around since 1985. It is located at 820 Victorian Avenue in historic downtown Sparks. Its mission is to preserve the historical and cultural heritage of Sparks and the Truckee Meadows; for more information visit www.sparksmuseum.org.
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