1983 Map of Sparta

Transport and recreation are intertwined throughout the region, with the Chicago Milwaukee St Paul and Pacific and Chicago and North Western rail lines cutting through the terrain. Evidence of the area's agricultural and social history is found in numerous rural burial grounds, such as St Patricks Cem and Farmers Valley Cem. To the north, the Rolling Hills County Home and the La Crosse River State Fishery Area highlight the mix of institutional and conservation land uses common in Monroe County during this era.