Horse Shoe Pit.  Before softball and volleyball leagues or golf, horseshoes was the game played by farmers and others .  Enjoy a friendly game of horseshoes with your family or friends.  Shoes & scoring rules provided!

Hiking Trail Expansion.  The mowed hiking trails have been extended along the river to two unique sights to see.  The first is a large tree that is growing horizontally over the river.  You can literally "walk over the river" on this living bridge.  Enjoy fishing or just hanging your feet in the water.  Second are two huge trees that split in half and fell to the ground creating a natural "canyon" that deer and other wildlife cut through.  Many stories have been passed in regard to how this tree uniquely spit in half!      

Old Caboose Renovations.   Renovations are underway of old SOO-Line wooden caboose #99106.  Time has taken its toll on this old relic from the 1920's, but with a little love and a lot of new wood, she's soon to be looking like she did in her prime!

       

 

Drink and soak-in Sparta's famous Healing Mineral Waters!  In the late 1860's, Sparta's many artesian wells were gaining legend in their healing properties.  Residents suffering from chronic diseases of various types drank the water and/or bathed in it daily and many were permanently cured with no other explanation for their healing!  The legend of healing properties of the water spread and soon people were traveling (some great distances) to Sparta to soak in and drink Sparta's artesian water.  (Read more in a copy of an actual brochure from the late 1800's in the Caboose Information Binder!)

"During the year 1872 I was stricken with that fatal disease, Consummation.  I was all at once attacked with a dry, hoarse cough, which gradually increased and continued.  The ulcerated bloody discharges from my lungs confirmed that I was fast dying with pulmonary consumption.  My friends looked upon me as a doomed man.  Having relatives living in Sparta, Wis., in company of my mother, I started for that place.  At this time my health was in such condition that I was unable to travel only a short distance each day.  Reaching Sparta about the middle of August 1872, weighing only 98 pounds, I immediately commenced using the SPARTA MAGNETIC MINERAL WATER, and noticing the happy effects on my system, I remained and continued its use until the month of June following, at which time I returned to my home with my weight at the time being 149 pounds.  I attribute my recovery and cure entirely to the use of this water, which, in my estimation, is wonderfully adapted to the relief and cure of pulmonary complaints."   -Arthur A. Locke, Amesbury, Mass (written January 1874)

You can drink and soak-in Sparta's famous "healing waters" from an original well still flowing from that era!

         

Fill your water bottles before biking or take home a gallon of Sparta's famous "Healing Mineral Waters".     

 

 

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Last modified: April 01, 2006