Things are Happenin' in Sparta!

Things are happenin’ in Sparta. After a successful visit from Santa by the Marquette Railroad Train, a great Business Expo and this summer’s Town and Country Days with our greatest ever attended Concerts in the Park, we were looking at a pretty good string of popular projects. We have a new program that financially assists business owners within the DDA District in beautifying their store fronts. Many have taken advantage of this program and I have to say that the efforts of those businesses are paying off as storefronts are sprucing up! Incredibly, when you stand back to realize, the Village of Sparta has welcomed 9 new businesses that opened this past year, giving Sparta residents other shopping options allowing them to shop locally, stay in town, and save time and gas.

A COMMUNITY IS MOVED
Our latest endeavor was the visit by the Viet Nam Moving Wall Memorial. This project not only gave Sparta area residents a rare chance to see the memorial, which travels all around the country, but also brought in visitors from all over West Michigan to pay their respects and give long overdue honor to those who fought in the Viet Nam War.

The original idea of hosting the site for the Moving Wall was hatched after viewing ‘The Wall’ in White Cloud last summer. A hard working committee was formed and proceeded to take the next 9 months to put together a well thought out program. Amazingly, a 50 plus member choir formed specifically for The Wall, and the performance sounded so sweet that the Village President for Kent City, John Petruska, asked about having them come there for one of their functions. I can see it now; soon they will be signing autographs.

John and Lisa Grey from White Pine, Michigan, drivers for The Moving Wall delivered The Wall to Sparta, with a 300 plus motorcycle escort which had folks lining the streets to see the 3 mile long parade of bikes. After all the motorcycle volunteers arrived at Balyeat Field, most of the bikers joined in to help set up panels of The Wall. Watching hundreds of bikers strip off their leather jackets and vests so as not to scratch the panels of the wall, and stand in a line to carry the panels to the platform was an awe inspiring site. Thank you to all of the volunteers who helped escort and set up The Wall on August 21, 2008. John and Lisa have traveled all over the country and said that our Escort and Opening Ceremony were among the best they had seen, and the community spirit and support was second to none, another reason I am so pleased to live in Sparta.

The Opening Ceremony itself was quite an affair. Dignitaries and special speakers, one of which could be our next Governor, lined Rogers Park Bandshell to pay tribute to the men and women who served their country in Vietnam. The ceremony began and ended with the Kent County Sheriffs Department Honor Guard with a display of flags that reminded us why they are considered the best around. Just before they marched out, the Kent County Veterans Honor Guard did a 3 volley 21 gun salute and then played “Taps”. Hundreds of people followed the Memorial Pathway to Balyeat Field for the placing of a wreath by the Boy Scouts. When the West Michigan Pipes and Drums changed their tune to Amazing Grace on the bagpipes, the emotion and awe was visible in every person present, at finally seeing the 252 ft Wall that carried the names of over 58,000 American Soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice in the Vietnam War.

Probably the most important thing that could be noticed though, was the outpouring of the community at large. Everyone seemed interested in the success of this memorial and showed it by committing their time, skills, goods, services and finances to the success of hosting the memorial in our community. There never was a time when there wasn’t enough personnel to man the stations or share the work load. Volunteers stayed past the ends of their shifts and came early to begin their shifts. Community members made dozens of cookies and snacks to keep the volunteers fed. There was even enough food donated for the volunteers, that at the end of the Closing Ceremony we had snacks for everyone there who wanted them!

It was an emotional four days. It was incredibly humbling to see families gather at the wall, pointing at one particular name, lying mementos and flowers for their fallen soldier. It was wonderful, to see parents teaching their children the importance of freedom and respect for our solders. And, it was very uplifting to see community members, businesses, and organizations, pull together to be the host of a memorial of this magnitude. If you'd like to post something to the online guestbook, please visit here: http://www.spartachamber.com/movingwall/movingwall_guestbook.html

WHAT IS NEXT ?
So what is in the future for Sparta? The best word I can think of is “much” and more coming after that. Fall is arriving fast and with it, Halloween, and we are planning a Halloween Costume Party on Oct 18; back up one week to the 11th and we are having our Daffodil Hill thrill, a project to put a little more color in Roger’s Park. The Chamber of Commerce and the DDA, are still working to help keep our businesses growing and also to attract new businesses, and whatever they are doing seems to be working quite well. We have a new waste water treatment plant ready to be built giving us room to grow and insuring that whenever we pull the lever, the bad stuff goes away, and goes safely.

In overview, I think we can know that as we work together as a community, we can accomplish much. As Councilperson Bill Taylor stated during the Moving Wall weekend describe our community, and to me it seemed extremely fitting: “Expect great things when you unleash the talent of a community.”

The Sparta community is vibrant and growing and we are always trying to find more things to do right here in our neighborhood. I encourage all to attend as many of these functions as you can, meet your neighbors, shop locally and if you can think of something we haven’t, let us know. With all of us working together, we will continue to make the Village of Sparta what a neighborhood should be.

Sincerely,
Skip Meyer
Village President

The Moving Wall in Downtown Sparta

The Vietnam Moving Wall Memorial in Sparta August 21 through August 24, 2008
Balyeat Field in Downtown Sparta
190 Olmstead Sparta, MI 49345

The Moving Wall in Downtown Sparta, a half size replica of the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C., will be arriving in the Village of Sparta for public display Thursday August 21 through Sunday August 24, 2008. The memorial is an opportunity for those who have not experienced the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington D.C. to see the names of the brave men and women who sacrificed their lives for our country and freedom.

The Moving Wall in Downtown Sparta will be open 24 hours a day for visitors to view and show respect. A special Opening Memorial Ceremony for the Moving Wall in Downtown Sparta will be held on Thursday, August 21, 2008 at 6:30 pm in Rogers Park in Downtown Sparta at 75 N. Union Street, Sparta, MI 49345.

Anyone who would like to volunteer for the memorial is welcome to contact Volunteer Coordinator Dwayne Pride at dpride@deanboiler.com to sign up for volunteer duties which include:

• Set up
• Name Look Up
• Food and Bottled water Donations
• Security and
• Teardown
  

Financial Donations can be made through the Sparta Chamber of Commerce - The Moving Wall at: PO Box 142 E. Division, Sparta, MI 49345 or by contacting Elizabeth at ddadirector@spartami.org or by telephone at (616) 887-2454.

Other program details

MILESTONES ON MAIN STREET SPARTA!

Summer 1908 Looks Great

For Nelson A. Shaw, things look great in July of 1908. His new business, the Shaw Palace Livery, is doing well in its first year of operation.

In the fall of 1907, he finished construction of a two-story building on main street Sparta to house his livery. The American flag, now with 46 stars since the admission of Oklahoma, waves proudly in front. A blacksmith is right next door. The harness shop is across the street. The railroad depot is just around the corner to the east.

Things to Move
Horse drawn wagons from Shaw’s livery move supplies that arrive by train to the farms and small manufacturing businesses around Sparta. The late summer will be busy. Many German and Swedish immigrants have settled in the Sparta area. They are growing fruit, mainly apples and peaches, on their farms. As the harvest ripens, these products must be transported to markets in Grand Rapids.

22 Cents an Hour
So business in July 1908 looks promising for Nelson Shaw and his wife Jessie. They need that. The building, horses and wagons are large investments that need to be paid off. And good help can cost as much as 22 cents an hour.

Living expenses at the Shaw home just south of Main Street are increasing as well. Sugar is up to four cents a pound, coffee 15 cents a pound and eggs 14 cents a dozen. Plus there is a delicious new product on the market, Kellogg’s Toasted Corn Flakes, from a new company down in Battle Creek. Nelson and Jessie have never tasted anything like it.

Imagine the Profit
As their business flourishes, they dream of the things they can do with the profits. Perhaps attend a baseball game. The Chicago Cubs beat the Detroit Tigers in the 1907 World Series. The way things are going, the two teams will meet again in the 1908 Series. Or maybe visit the Grand Canyon someday, which President Roosevelt has just designated as a national monument.

Down in Detroit
There is, however, one thing that concerns Nelson Shaw. Down in Detroit, a man called Ford is making horseless carriages. Shaw has seen one in Grand Rapids. They are the strangest things. They make an awful noise and smell terrible. But maybe there is a future for these contraptions. How will they affect his livery?

A New Business Model T
By the summer of 1908, there are 8,000 cars in the United States. That same year, Henry Ford introduces the Model T. In 1909, its first full year of production, about 18,000 units are built. By 1920, Ford produces more than one million cars a year. What will all this mean for Nelson and Jessie Shaw? For the Shaw Palace Livery? For east Sparta?

From Palace Livery to Transfer Line
East Sparta remains a transportation center for several decades. Shaw Palace Livery becomes “Fields Transfer Line.” Horse drawn carriages are replaced by motored vehicles, but still operating from the two-story structure that Shaw built.

The building is a cornerstone in Sparta as one of the first erected on main street. It is renovated in 2007, exactly 100 years after construction, to restore the original materials and display the original header: “N.A. Shaw Palace Livery 1907.” It has been a downtown business location for more than a century. Today it houses ‘Round Again consignment shop, a dance studio, a used book store, and an ice cream shop.

Enterprising in 1921
As for business in east Sparta, the harness shop, the blacksmith and the train depot disappear with the rise of the automobile; but not without economic compensation. Just south of main street, a new enterprise begins in 1921, an important supplier to the industry that Henry Ford is driving.

It’s the Sparta Foundry, an iron foundry that becomes one of the largest piston ring manufacturers in the world. It also becomes a major employer in the area and backbone of economic activity in Sparta throughout the 20th century.

Nelson A. Shaw was born on 18, May 1856 and died on 8, January 1933, 26 years after he started Shaw Palace Livery on main street Sparta. His wife Jessie was born on 18, December 1862 and died on 4, April 1932. They are both buried in Sparta’s Greenwood Cemetery.

This is the first in a series of Milestones on Main Street articles specially produced for Sparta Today. Input and contributions to this column are welcome. Please send your ideas to Dean Lettinga at hlet@hetnet.nl or contact Joan Lettinga at 887-0013 in Sparta.

Downtown Sparta is celebrating with an Old Fashioned Christmas throughout the month of December. Horsedrawn Trolley Rides for luminary tours and Santa pictures for pets with Santa are just a part of the wonderful activities going on! Don't miss out on Candy Cane Lane, located behind the Library or the Santa Train bringing Santa in straight from the North Pole!

While in Sparta, participate in our Downtown Strolling Sticker program where participating businesses hand out stickers. Fill your sticker card with a sticker from each business and receive a FREE Sparta Christmas Ornament! Also, you will be entered into win the Downtown Gift Basket, worth over $800!

Check out the printable PDF fliers:

Xmas Bakeoff http://www.spartachamber.com/pdf/XmasBakeoff.pdf
Chili Cookoff http://www.spartachamber.com/pdf/Chili2007.PDF
Pet Night with Santa http://www.spartachamber.com/pdf/PetNight.pdf
Downtown Strolling Sticker Cards http://www.spartachamber.com/pdf/downtown_stamp_card.pdf.
Event Flier (all events) http://www.spartachamber.com/pdf/SpartaEventsFlier1.pdf

Spring is In The Air!

The 5th grad historical tour has been postponed to Friday, May 11, 2007!

Sparta Middle School's 5th grade classes will be taking a tour of downtown Sparta with historical photo books to analyze the changes that have taken place over the past 150 years in Sparta. Around downtown you will see antique cars and prominent historic community members such as Johnathan Nash (founder of the Village of Sparta).

Take a walk on Friday and enjoy the sights of our history!