White barn near Sparks, Kansas by Kathy Alexander.
Sparks, Kansas, located in Doniphan County, originated as a station called Highland Station. This railroad point was on the Burlington & Missouri River Railroad about four miles east of Highland, Kansas. It is a ghost town today.
Burlington & Missouri River Railroad, 1886.
The town was located in the winter of 1869-70 by a company partly formed of Highland men and partly of representatives of the railway. The incorporators were J. P. Johnson, B. F. Herring, J. A. Kennedy, and G. W. Glick. The townsite covered 40 acres that J. A. Kennedy owned. It was named for John Sparks, an area pioneer.
After laying out the town, a depot was built, and Kennedy & Herring opened a general store. A second store was also opened that same year by L. Degginger. J. Browning opened a hotel, and a blacksmith shop began. The post office was established on January 31, 1871, with J.A. Kennedy as the postmaster.
Sparks, Kansas School.
A Union church was built in 1881, which was used for all denominations.
On October 5, 1908, the town and post office were renamed Sparks.
In 1910, the village was located on the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad. At that time, it had a bank, two churches, a restaurant, two general stores, an elevator, a blacksmith shop, express and telegraph offices, and a money order post office with two rural routes. The population in 1910 was 175.
Old store in Sparks, Kansas by Kathy Alexander.
But Sparks declined in the following years, and its post office closed on September 16, 1971.
Today, the town is home to about nine people.
However, twice a year, during Flea Market time, the population swells to the thousands. This bi-annual flea market features over 500 vendors and dealers selling a wide range of items, from antiques to collectibles and everything in between. About 14 miles to the northwest, White Cloud also has a city-wide flea market. Visitors can make a day of vintage shopping twice a year, on the weekends that include the first Sunday in May and the first Sunday in September.
Sparks is located along K-7, the Glacial Hills Scenic Byway, 4.2 miles east of Highland.
An old church in Sparks, Kansas, by Kathy Alexander.
©Kathy Alexander/Legends of Kansas, updated July 2025.
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