town and county seat, central Alleghany County. Post office est. there as Bower's Store, 1825; name changed to Gap Civil, 1846, and to Sparta, 1879. Inc. 1879. Named for the ancient city in Greece. Alt. 2,939. Produces apparel and textiles. See also Gap Civil Township.

central Alleghany County on Little River. Formed in 1920. Covers 8 acres; max. depth 10 ft. Fishing and swimming.

former township in SE Edgecombe County, now township no. 8.

community in W Avery County; settled 1815-30. Named for nearby Spear Tops Mountain.

on Avery-Mitchell county line. Named because of its two spear-shaped peaks.

massive tract in W Polk and E Henderson Counties acquired in 1790s by Speculation Land Company organized by Tench Coxe of Philadelphia. Some property remained unclaimed into the mid-twentieth century. In time, land was managed by Carolina Power Company (later Duke Power) and today is part of the Green River wildlife management area.

town in E Edgecombe County; inc. 1901. Named for E. T. Speed.

community in W Jackson County on Tilley Creek.

former community in N Greene County on Contentnea Creek. Settled about 1751 by Speight family, some of whom operated a toll bridge there. Civil War muster grounds a short distance n. When Fieldsboro (now Walstonburg) developed during the 1880s, Speights Bridge declined.

N Greene County.