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Outdoor Activities ...
As we travel, we like to pursue some of our interests (such as astronomy and bird watching).
When in Sparks, we use the following websites to find information relevant to Sparks and the surrounding area.
- Astronomy & Satellites ...
- Whether using binoculars, a small telescope or the naked-eye, the Heavens-Above
website can help you to find your way around the night-time sky. In addition to detailed
sky charts, their website will help you find planets, asteriods, comets, satellites and their tracks across the sky.
- To give accurate results, Heavens-Above requires the latitude and longitude of your location. As a starting point, when we link to Heavens-Above,
we pass this GPS location for Sparks:
- 39.530939, -76.645804
- Once you're on the Heavens-Above website, you can improve its accuracy by giving a more precise longitude and latitude as your actual position.
- Open the Heavens-Above website centered on Sparks
- Bird Watching ...
- We enjoy finding new spots for bird watching and we use the eBird website for local sighting reports and to help identify hotspots.
- The eBird website is organized on a county-by-county basis. We have selected Baltimore County as the starting point when you click on the link below:
- Open the eBird sighting report for Baltimore County
- Since Sparks is near Harford County and also Carroll County, we have provided a link to their eBird sighting reports:
- Open the eBird sighting report for Harford County
- Open the eBird sighting report for Carroll County
- Waymarking ...
- Looking for somewhere out of the ordinary? Find a unique place and want to share it with others? Then it's time to visit Waymarking.com:
- Open the Waymark.com report for Sparks
Communities Also Named Sparks ...
We found fifteen communities that are also named Sparks.
Within Maryland, the name Sparks is unique.
Beyond Maryland, we know of fifteen communities that are located in the United States.
- Communities Elsewhere In North America ...
- Colorado
- Moffat County
- This Sparks is located in Moffat County and lies 1,689 miles [2,718.2 km]<1> to the west northwest of the Sparks that is located in Baltimore County.
- For more information, please visit our profile page for the Moffat County community of Sparks.
- Georgia
- Berrien County
- We found mention of this community, but have little information.<2> For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Georgia community of Sparks [Berrien County].
- Cook County
- This Sparks is located in Cook County and lies 692 miles [1,113.7 km]<1> to the southwest of the Sparks that is located in Baltimore County.
- For more information, please visit our profile page for the Cook County community of Sparks.
- Washington County
- This Sparks is located in Washington County and lies 558 miles [898 km] to the southwest of the Sparks that is located in Baltimore County.
- For more information, please visit our profile page for the Washington County community of Sparks.
- Kansas
- Doniphan County
- This Sparks is located in Doniphan County and lies 983 miles [1,582 km]<1> to the west of the Sparks that is located in Baltimore County.
- For more information, please visit our profile page for the Doniphan County community of Sparks.
- Kentucky
- Estill County
- This Sparks is located in Estill County and lies 404 miles [650.2 km]<1> to the west southwest of the Sparks that is located in Baltimore County.
- For more information, please visit our profile page for the Estill County community of Sparks.
- Jackson County
- This Sparks is located in Jackson County and lies 420 miles [675.9 km] to the west southwest of the Sparks that is located in Baltimore County.
- For more information, please visit our profile page for the Jackson County community of Sparks.
- Louisiana
- Pointe Coupee Parish
- This Sparks is located in Pointe Coupee Parish and lies 1,045 miles [1,681.8 km]<1> to the west southwest of the Sparks that is located in Baltimore County.
- For more information, please visit our profile page for the Pointe Coupee Parish community of Sparks.
- Nebraska
- Cherry County
- This Sparks is located in Cherry County and lies 1,244 miles [2,002 km]<1> to the west northwest of the Sparks that is located in Baltimore County.
- For more information, please visit our profile page for the Cherry County community of Sparks.
- Nevada
- Washoe County
- This Sparks is located in Washoe County and lies 2,272 miles [3,656.4 km]<1> to the west northwest of the Sparks that is located in Baltimore County.
- For more information, please visit our profile page for the Washoe County community of Sparks.
- Oklahoma
- Lincoln County
- This Sparks is located in Lincoln County and lies 1,134 miles [1,825 km]<1> to the west of the Sparks that is located in Baltimore County.
- For more information, please visit our profile page for the Lincoln County community of Sparks.
- Oregon
- Umatilla County
- This Sparks is located in Umatilla County and lies 2,159 miles [3,474.6 km]<1> to the west northwest of the Sparks that is located in Baltimore County.
- For more information, please visit our profile page for the Umatilla County community of Sparks.
- Texas
- Bell County
- This Sparks is located in Bell County and lies 1,306 miles [2,101.8 km]<1> to the west southwest of the Sparks that is located in Baltimore County.
- For more information, please visit our profile page for the Bell County community of Sparks.
- El Paso County
- This Sparks is located in El Paso County and lies 1,738 miles [2,797 km] to the west of the Sparks that is located in Baltimore County.
- For more information, please visit our profile page for the El Paso County community of Sparks.
- West Virginia
- Nicholas County
- This community is historic<3> and we have very little information. For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the West Virginia community of Sparks [Nicholas County].
Curious and Interesting Names Near Sparks ...
As we travel, we always see a community with a name that gives pause. While there are names which are interesting or familiar, some catch our attention or strike our fancy. We always wonder about such a name. If time permits and the community is not too far, we'll usually try to make a side-trip.
- Bacon Hall
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Bacon Hall is located in Baltimore County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bacon Hall
- Cloverfield
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Cloverfield is located in Baltimore County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cloverfield
- Cockeysville
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Cross Creek
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Cross Creek is located in Baltimore County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cross Creek
- Dun Rovin
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Dun Rovin is located in Baltimore County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dun Rovin
- Friends View
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Friends View is located in Baltimore County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Friends View
- Gentsville
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Gentsville is located in Baltimore County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gentsville
- Hunt Valley
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Hunters Run
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Hunters Run is located in Baltimore County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hunters Run
- Ivy Hill
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Ivy Hill is located in Baltimore County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ivy Hill
- Manor Brook
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Manor Brook is located in Baltimore County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Manor Brook
- Marble Hill
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Marble Hill is located in Baltimore County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marble Hill
- Continue List (5 more) ...
- Oregon
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Oregon is located in Baltimore County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oregon
- Piney Creek
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Piney Creek is located in Baltimore County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Piney Creek
- Piney Hill
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Piney Hill is located in Baltimore County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Piney Hill
- Priceville
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Priceville is located in Baltimore County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Priceville
- Western Run
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Western Run is located in Baltimore County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Western Run
How Far From Sparks to ...
We spend a lot of time looking through Gazetteers & Almanacs that were published in the late 1800's and early 1900's. Many of the Gazetteers include the distance from a community such as Sparks to various places of note, such as the White House.
With a nod to our favorite Gazetteers, the straight-line distance beginning in Sparks and extending to:
- Towson, which is the Seat of Baltimore County, lies 9 miles [14.5 km]<1> to the south southeast. If you could walk a straight line from Sparks to Towson, with an average speed<5> of 2.2 miles [3.5 km] per hour, it would take four to five hours to make the trip. A horse and buggy averaging 3.2 miles [5.1 km] per hour would take a little over three hours.
- Annapolis, which is the State Capital of Maryland, lies 39 miles [62.8 km] to the south southeast (SSE). Driving, with an average speed of 63 miles [101.4 km] per hour, would take less than an hour, a buggy would take just about two full days and walking would take over two days.
- The White House (Washington, DC) is 48 miles [77.2 km] to the south southwest (SSW). Driving would take less than an hour, a buggy would take most of two days and walking would take about three full days.
- The shortest distance<6> to Jerusalem (specifically the Temple Mount and the Dome of the Rock) is 5,854 miles [9,421.1 km] and it lies to the northeast (NE).<7>
- The distance to the Great Mosque of Mecca (specifically the Ka'bah - or Kaaba ) is 6,561 miles [10,558.9 km] and it lies to the east northeast (ENE).<8>
- The distance to Saint Peter's Basilica (The Vatican) is 4,437 miles [7,140.7 km] and it lies to the northeast (NE).<9>'
Footnotes ...
| <1> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Sparks) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <2> | If we encounter the name of what might be a community, our methodology is to add that name to our Gazetteer as a placeholder. As we find more information about that community, it will be added to our Gazetteer.
Just as a reminder: Our definition of a community is rather broad and includes those places (or areas) where several families lived and had a name which identified that place. For example, you might hear somebody say that they are going over to Rock Creek to see Pete ... Rock Creek is just a gas station and a couple of homes at the crossroads. While it might not be on the map, everybody in the area knows it by that name.
Places of interest include buildings at a crossroad, several families clustered in a hollow or maybe the location of a way station. It also includes places like mines, lumber camps, ferry crossings, etc. The community might still exist, is now gone or only existed for just a short period of time.
Also keep in mind that Sparks could have been on the original document by mistake, misspelled, the original/alternate name of a community that we've listed elsewhere or was placed in the wrong county. Sometimes a post office or train station would have a different name than the community where it's located, so two names might be referring to the same community - we're working to straighten it all out. |
| <3> | We use the term 'Historic' broadly and it generally means that the community no longer exists. However, it can also mean that the community might still exist, but was significantly larger or had a more 'official' existence in the past than it does now. Unfortunately our sources of data have proven to be unreliable. If you can provide us with more specific information about Sparks, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <4> | While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program. |
| <5> | While we have tried to pick reasonable speeds, the rate of travel is very theoretical - obstacles like fences, hills, lakes, river crossings and rest stops have been ignored. When we say 'Days' of travel, we're assuming 8 hours of travel per day. |
| <6> | The shortest line can be visualized by stretching a string on a Globe from Point A to Point B - this is known as a Great Circle Route. Where you might expect the shortest route from Sparks to the Middle East to be East and South, the Great Circle Route actually lies to the North and East.Our distance measurements begin at a specific point in Sparks. The point we use is located at these GPS coordinates - Latitude: 39.5309, Longitude: -76.6458 In this case, the coordinates for Sparks have been provided by the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS). |
| <7> | The calculated bearing (or angle) to Jerusalem is 307.615 degrees. |
| <8> | The calculated bearing (or angle) to Mecca is 303.225 degrees. |
| <9> | The calculated bearing (or angle) to the Vatican is 304.30 degrees. |
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