Sparta Historic District
Also known as: Bricktown
Why it's listed
Bricktown is a compact residential neighborhood on the south side of Sparta, Illinois, centered on West Third and South St. Louis Streets. Its fourteen nominated houses, nearly all two-story brick, date from about 1860 to 1879 and show Gothic Revival, Victorian, Greek Revival, Italianate and Federal influences. Many have "Steamboat Gothic" porches, marble fireplaces, parquet floors and thick masonry walls. One exception is a wood-frame Victorian house with a circular porch and turret, which still has a carved brick chimney. The neighborhood grew from the vision of William Rosborough, a merchant and developer who reportedly would sell a lot only to buyers who promised to build a good brick house. Local kilns supplied the brick, and the original owners included physicians, merchants, a mayor and a woolen mill operator. The district was listed because it preserves a cohesive group of large brick homes that has no equal elsewhere in Sparta.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents the district as an excellent example of a prestigious residential neighborhood in a small commercial crossroads town that prospered before the Civil War and through Reconstruction. Local brick kilns supplied the material for the elegant homes, which remain largely unaltered. Developer William Rosborough required lot buyers to commit to building good brick houses, which shaped the area's cohesive character.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 82002595, listed June 3, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | S. St. Louis, W. 3rd and S. James Sts., Sparta |
|---|---|
| County | Randolph County |
| Listed | June 3, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82002595 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1860-1879 |
| Architect / builder | William P. Murphy - William Rosborough (Brick Mason) (Developer) |
| Architectural style | Mixed styles including Gothic Revival, Victorian, Greek Revival, Italianate and Federal, with "Steamboat Gothic" porches |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | All residences are inhabited by single-family units; some were temporarily converted to apartments or a nursing home. Condition is marked excellent, with buildings largely unaltered. |
| Acreage | 15 |
| Coordinates | 38.12038, -89.70380 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 82002595.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16900413
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.