a church and community hall. As an early pioneer structure, that remains true to its original construction, it is an important historical landmark. The Sparks Cemetery is located one-half mile east. Predating the town and church, the cemetery was begun in 1885 when Stella Grooms died. She was a daughter of pioneers John S. and Annie Grooms. The land for the cemetery was donated by the Henry Chaufty family, another Sparks pioneer. The cemetery contains many Sparks area pioneers. Numerous schools were established in the area as soon as pioneers settled the area in 1883. The first school in the town was begun in December 1892 (Valentine Dem.). George Sawyer built the first rock store, which housed the post office that was established on March 15, 1888. On March 12, 1889 George Sawyer and J. A. Brewer formed the Sparks Improvement Company. They offered ten-acre tract of lots for sale. The first lot was sold to S. E. Nader on November 13, 1890. The rock store was destroyed in a fire in 1900. Curtis Callen parched the lots in June 1901 and rebuilt the rock store. He also built a house next to the rock store, which is still occupied. In 1908, Peter Simons purchased the store and surrounding properties. In 1920, John and Rose Langer Simons purchased Sparks and ran the store and post office for 25 years. In 1945, Waldo and Nadine Simons bought Sparks. In 1952, the Steel building was built on the west side of the store. This is the store that is still in use. Waldo ran the store for 45 years until Lou and Jan Christiansen of Fremont bought the town of Sparks in 1985. Lou and Jan started Dryland Aquatics in Fremont in 1980. They moved the headquarters to the Sparks General store in 1985 and ran Dryland Aquatics next door to the Post Office. In May 1998, Edward and Louise Egelhoff Heinert bought the Town of Sparks and Dryland Aquatics. In 1998, they added a bunk house that was previously the computer and special needs build for the Valentine elementary school from District 6. It was then moved from Valentine to the east side of Sparks. Later the Sparks School was bought and turned into a bunkhouse. The Heinerts still own Sparks and still operate Dryland Aquatics. References :File:Sparks Historic Church, Sparks, Nebraska.jpg Unincorporated communities in Cherry County, Nebraska Unincorporated communities in