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Sparks

Sparks is located in Washoe County just north of Reno, between Fernley and the California state line. It lies along Interstate 80 on the banks of the Truckee River near Pyramid Lake and Lake Washoe.

In 1904, the town was settled by residents of Wadsworth, who moved after their town was replaced by Sparks as the big switching yard on this stretch of the Southern Pacific Railroad. They named the community after Governor John Sparks, who served from 1905 to 1908 and owned a ranch nearby. The railroad was the city's main employer until the engines were changed to diesel power in 1957, compelling closure of the railroad shops.

Today Sparks, population 66,346 and growing, still is a hub of railroad activities, but also has light industry and is a tourist destination. In Sparks is a monument dedicated to Chinese railroad construction workers, as well as a railroad museum. Victorian Avenue offers year-round public events.

Sparks is part of the Reno, Nevada metro area.


History Sparks Heritage Museum |
Motels, Hotels and Resorts McCarren House Inn |

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03/27 Coming to The area
Arden Fair Sacramento CA March30-April18 Open the doors to Arden Fair and step inside. Here you'll find contemporary fashions, jewelry, accessories and brand name merchandise at over 165 specialty stores, plus Nordstrom's, Macy's, Sears, and JC Penney. Arden Fair also has a number of terrific restaurants, everything from fast food to fine dining. And it's completely enclosed, so it's always a comfortable 70 degrees inside no matter what it's like outside.
California Exposition & State Fair Sacramento CA June12-28 The Cal Expo is the site of the California State Fair. All year Satellite Wagering, Waterworld USA, Paradise Island Fun Center and an RV Park are just a few of the features of the Cal Expo.The first State Fair was held in 1854 in San Francisco at the old Music Hall. The fair offered premiums (prizes) for its competitions and included such agricultural exhibits such as 2-inch-long peanuts, 72-pound beets and a 10-pound carrot that was longer than 3 feet. Horseracing was part of that first fair and has continued to be a part of the fair ever since.
The Rio Vista Bass Derby Festival Rio Vista CA October11-13 Rio Vista is proud to host the oldest fishing derby on the West Coast. The festival is a three-day derby for bass, catfish and sturgeon. The festival also boasts music, food and fun for fishermen and non-fishing children and adults as well. The events include a carnival, live music and dancing, classic car show, a pancake breakfast, parade and BBQ. A large fireworks display is also featured on Saturday night.


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