Why visit Sparta
Townapedia lists 6 museums and landmarks, 12 parks and trails, 16 places to eat, 5 places to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include Sparta Cimema, Sparta Free Library, Monroe County Courthouse and River Run Golf Course.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 82°F; January lows average 6°F.
Weather in Sparta
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Sparta
Sparta is a city in and the county seat of Monroe County, Wisconsin, United States, along the La Crosse River. The population was 10,025 at the 2020 census.
From the Wikipedia article Sparta, Wisconsin (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Sparta Cimema
Cinema and theater · 0.6 mi
1010 Maple Avenue, Sparta
Museums and landmarks6
Sparta Free Library
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Carnegie library in Sparta, Wisconsin, United States
Monroe County Courthouse
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Courthouse in Sparta, Wisconsin, United States
Sparta Masonic Temple
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Masonic temple in Wisconsin, United States of America
William G. and Anne Williams House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Historic house in Wisconsin, United States
Deke Slayton Memorial Space and Bike Museum
Museum · 0.4 mi
200 West Main Street, Sparta
Parks, trails and playgrounds12
Sparta Youth Hockey Association
Sports field and stadium · 1.2 mi
1121 East Montgomery Street, Sparta
Restaurants and cafes16
El Vallarta
Restaurant · Mexican · 0.7 mi
223 North Black River Street, Sparta
Mo-Th 11:00-21:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-21:30; Su 11:00-20:30
Ginny's Cupboard
Cafe · Coffee Shop, Sandwich, Ice Cream · 0.5 mi
127 North Water Street, Sparta
Mo-Fr 06:00-20:00; Sa 06:30-20:00; Su 09:00-15:00
The Zone
Bar and pub · 1.7 mi
Sports Bar and Grill
9929 WI-21, Sparta
Mo-Th 10:30-02:00; Fr-Sa 10:30-02:30; Su 10:30-23:00
Sparta American Legion
Bar and pub · 1.4 mi
1116 Angelo Road, Sparta
Tu-Th,Sa 11:00-22:00; Fr 11:00-12:00; Su-Mo closed
4 more on the map.
History
Sparta is located on Ho-Chunk territory ceded in 1837. White settlement began after the government surveyed the land in 1849 and created a crossroads by building early state roads from Prairie du Chien to Hudson in 1849 and from Portage to La Crosse in 1851. The first recorded settlers were brothers Frank and William Petit, who opened a tavern near the crossroads in 1851. Their mother, recorded only as Mrs. Petit, named the settlement after the ancient Greek city-state of Sparta. A post office has been in operation at Sparta since 1852.
In 1854, the Wisconsin Legislature named Sparta the county seat for the newly organized Monroe County. The settlement grew with the arrival of the La Crosse and Milwaukee Railroad in 1858 and the Chicago and North Western Railroad in 1873. The La Crosse River and area creeks provided water power for early sawmills and gristmills, and the town attracted a variety of small manufacturers in the late nineteenth century. Residents also promoted Sparta as a health resort after drilling artesian wells for mineral water in the 1860s. The current Monroe County Courthouse was built in Sparta in 1895, replacing an 1863 structure.
From the History section of Sparta, Wisconsin on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay5
Churches and places of worship4
St. John's Episcopal Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 0.7 mi
Shopping5
Gas and EV charging7
Schools, colleges and libraries13
Western Technical College Public Safety Training Facility
School · 2.5 mi
11177 County Highway A, Sparta
Sparta Alternative Independent Learning School
School · 1.1 mi
900 East Montgomery St, Sparta
Healthcare4
Map of Sparta
73 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 24°F | 6°F | 1.1 in |
| Feb | 30°F | 9°F | 1.1 in |
| Mar | 42°F | 21°F | 1.8 in |
| Apr | 56°F | 33°F | 3.7 in |
| May | 68°F | 45°F | 4.6 in |
| Jun | 78°F | 56°F | 5.3 in |
| Jul | 82°F | 59°F | 4.1 in |
| Aug | 80°F | 57°F | 4.3 in |
| Sep | 72°F | 48°F | 3.7 in |
| Oct | 58°F | 36°F | 2.6 in |
| Nov | 43°F | 24°F | 2.0 in |
| Dec | 30°F | 13°F | 1.3 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Sparta (0 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Monroe County has had 10 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2020-04-04: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2019-08-27: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Flood)
- 2018-10-18: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Landslides (Flood)
- 2017-10-07: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mud (Severe Storm)
- 2016-10-20: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides (Flood)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Sparta-Fort McCoy Airport (CMY) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 4 miles away.
- Bangor 10 mi west, about 15 min by car
- Onalaska 20 mi west, about 32 min by car
- La Crosse 22 mi west, about 35 min by car
- Holmen 23 mi west, about 37 min by car
- French Island 23 mi west, about 37 min by car
- Black River Falls 25 mi north, about 40 min by car
- Brice Prairie 25 mi west, about 40 min by car
- La Crescent 26 mi west, about 41 min by car
- Galesville 29 mi west, about 46 min by car
- Elroy 30 mi southeast, about 49 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- SpartaBigBike, Wineinger at English Wikipedia, Public domain
- SpartaFreeLibrary, Jonathunder, GFDL 1.2
- StJohnEpiscopalSpartaWI, Jonathunder, CC BY-SA 3.0
- FranklinVictorianSpartaWI, Jonathunder, CC BY-SA 3.0
- CourthouseMonroeCountyWI, Jonathunder, CC BY-SA 3.0
- 2017HistoryMuseumSpartaWI, Jonathunder, GFDL 1.2
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.