This is a petition signed by Sparta’s residents to (re)incorporate The Town of Sparta, in June of 1924. It includes both, “a majority of the resident free holders, and a majority of the resident qualified electors.”

Evidently, in 1924 “resident free holders” would be owners of land that was unencumbered by any financial obligation. And “resident qualified electors” would have been any other registered voters.

Sparta was originally incorporated in 1879, but in 1924 North Carolina changed its rules, so that the process for municipalities was handled through the Secretary of State’s office.

So Sparta, like many other NC towns had to go through the motions again. The paperwork submitted to the state, says, “the assessed valuation of the real estate in said territory is $253,650 according to the assessment for Taxes 1923.”

We found the original document at the NC Secretary of State’s website, here:

https://www.sosnc.gov/online_serv/ices/search/by_title/_land_records

A few years ago, our then mayor, John Miller, wanted a list of all the past mayors of the Town of Sparta. To his surprise and dismay, there wasn’t one. Not at the town office, not at the county office and not in any state record he could find.

He asked us about it. The Historical Society had less information than he did. So John mentioned it to his grandson, and Micah made it into a Senior Project. Last month, Mayor Wes Brinegar brought a copy of Micah’s research to us, and it was so interesting we used it as a base for the article in our Spring 2024 Newsletter.

The new list isn’t complete. There are still holes in the timeline, and we would welcome corrections and additions as we build this and other important records for our archive. Working as a community on projects like this, will make the information available for the next person who needs it.

Have you always wanted to see Basin Cove and the Caudill Cabin up close but weren’t able to make the (8.2 miles round trip) trek ?
Well, here is an excellent way to see the park, courtesy of Lenny and Phil Caudill. The Historical Society didn’t help with this project, (but we sure wish we had!)
These videos are narrated by Lenny and Phill, great-grandsons of Alford Martin and Jannie Blevins Caudill. The historical information and cultural background presented is a result of decades of research and service work within Doughton Park and Basin Creek.

What’s that? You want to see MORE for Christmas?

Well, here are just four of many in a collection of nutcrackers donated to Alleghany Historical Museum this fall by Delta Peterson. We are grateful and very happy to be able to display Mrs. Peterson’s collection of decorative, holiday nutcrackers and incense “smoker” figures.

In 1997, Steinbach nutcrackers premiered a new series to honor the beloved tale, “A Christmas Carol,” by Charles Dickens. These four design production-runs were limited to just 7,500 pieces, each.

Here’s one you might like- a photo of the Children’s Choir, ready for Christmas, at the old Piney Creek Methodist Church…