Sterling

History

In 1834, Hezekiah Brink built the first cabin in what was to become Harrisburg. Two years later, William Kirkpatrick settled downstream in an area that became Chatham. In 1838, Harrisburg and Chatham merged to become the Town of Sterling in an effort to become the county seat. The name Sterling was chosen to honor Major James Sterling, who distinguished himself in the area during the Blackhawk War in 1832. On February 16, 1857, Sterling was incorporated as a city by state law. On July 18, 1856, Abraham Lincoln visited Sterling to speak at a rally for the presidential candidate John C. Fremont. He spent the night at the home of Sheriff William Manahan, which has since been preserved and renovated into the Lincoln-Manahan Home. He gave his speech in Propheter Park, where a statue has been erected in his honor. The Rock River failed to become a major navigational route as once hoped, but it provided power for the saw and grist mills, and later to a booming industrial base. In 1856, the first rail lines were laid in the area. With the power from the river and the transportation provided by the railroads, Sterling's business and industry grew. During the late 19th and early 20th century, the community's industrial bedrock was laid with the founding of Northwestern Steel & Wire Co., Lawrence Brothers Inc, National Manufacturing Co., The Frantz Manufacturing Company, and the Wahl Clipper Corporation. Sterling has diversified and adapted to the 21st century. Its industrial base has expanded; the city has filled two industrial parks and made development for a third and fourth. Retail sales for the region have expanded as Sterling has emerged as a regional retail hub. Outside the city, the landscape is dominated by agricultural fields that typify most of the Midwest. The…

Geography

Sterling lies along the north bank of the Rock River, opposite its twin city, Rock Falls. The terrain is mostly flat. The land immediately outside of town is almost entirely farmland. The prairie soil is part of one of the world's most fertile growing areas. According to the 2010 census, Sterling has a total area of , of which (or 96.08%) is land and (or 3.92%) is water.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Black-capped Chickadee

  Poecile atricapillus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  2,204
• American Crow

  Corvus brachyrhynchos C.L.Brehm, 1822 · Aves
  2,111
• Downy Woodpecker

  Dryobates pubescens (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  2,071
• White-breasted Nuthatch

  Sitta carolinensis Latham, 1790 · Aves
  2,054
• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  1,966
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  1,864
• Red-bellied Woodpecker

  Melanerpes carolinus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  1,820
• House Sparrow

  Passer domesticus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  1,603

Largest nearby schools

• Sterling High School
  High · Sterling · 1,049 students · 19.1:1 ratio
• Challand Middle School
  Middle · Sterling · 710 students · 15.8:1 ratio
• Rock Falls Township High School
  High · Rock Falls · 566 students · 13.8:1 ratio
• Franklin Elem School
  Elementary · Sterling · 414 students · 15.3:1 ratio
• Jefferson Elem School
  Elementary · Sterling · 401 students · 14.3:1 ratio
• Lincoln Elem School
  Elementary · Sterling · 350 students · 15.9:1 ratio
• Washington Elem School
  Elementary · Sterling · 340 students · 12.1:1 ratio
• Dillon Elementary School
  Elementary · Rock Falls · 249 students · 11.9:1 ratio

Most recent

• M 3.1 — 2024-07-15
  2 km WNW of Somonauk, Illinois
• M 3.6 — 2023-11-15
  1 km SSW of Standard, Illinois
• M 4.2 — 2004-06-28
  12 km NW of Dayton, Illinois