During the Civil War, the area in and around Sparta, Ill., was a stopping point on the Underground Railroad, helping slaves find freedom.
After World War II, Sparta was known as “Magazineland, USA,” because most of the nation’s comics books were printed there.
It served as the principal filming site for the 1967 movie, “In the Heat of the Night,” starring Sydney Poitier and Rod Steiger.
These days, the World Shooting and Recreation Complex is based there.
And now, the town of 4,300, located 50 miles southeast of St. Louis in Randolph County, brings us Darius Jackson, NFL running back.