Mount Sterling, Kentucky
Mount Sterling is a city of 7,551 people in Montgomery County, Kentucky, founded in 1792.
Why visit Mount Sterling
Townapedia lists 4 museums and landmarks, 2 parks and trails, 22 places to eat, 2 places to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include Movie Theatre, Church of the Ascension, Confederate Monument of Mt. Sterling and Old Silo Golf Course.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 86°F; January lows average 22°F.
Weather in Mount Sterling
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Mount Sterling
Mount Sterling, often written as Mt. Sterling, is a home rule-class city in Montgomery County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 7,558 as of the 2020 census, up from 6,895 in 2010. It is the county seat of Montgomery County and the principal city of the Mount Sterling micropolitan area.
From the Wikipedia article Mount Sterling, Kentucky (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Museums and landmarks4
Church of the Ascension
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Church building in Kentucky, United States of America
Confederate Monument of Mt. Sterling
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.1 mi
Sculpture in Kentucky, United States of America
Enoch Smith House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.1 mi
Parks, trails and playgrounds2
Restaurants and cafes22
Romero's
Bar and pub · Pizza · 0.7 mi
2 East Main Street, Mount Sterling
Tu-Th 16:00-22:00,Fr 17:00-23:00, Sa 15:00-22:00
Ruth Hunt candy
Restaurant · Candy, Chocolate · 0.4 mi
550 Maysville Road, Mount Sterling
Arby's
Fast food · Sandwich · 0.5 mi
694 Maysville Road, Mount Sterling
Mo-Th 10:00-22:00; Fr-Sa 10:00-23:00; Su 10:00-22:00
10 more on the map.
History
Mount Sterling is named for an ancient burial mound called "Little Mountain", and for the town of Stirling in Scotland. It was named by the first developer of the area, Hugh Forbes. The Kentucky Assembly passed an act in 1792 establishing the town as Mt. Sterling, a misspelling which was retained.
The area was originally part of the thick wilderness of central Kentucky. Explorers, hunters, and surveyors traveling along a trail called Old Harper's Trace noted a 125-foot-high (38 m) tree-covered mound which they called "the Little Mountain". Later excavations showed it to be a burial site. The site of the mound is now the intersection of Queen and Locust streets in Mt. Sterling.
The first cabin in the area was built in 1779. The first permanent settlement was established around 1790, when Forbes began to sell lots and laid out a road, now Locust Street. In 1796 the town was established as the county seat of newly created Montgomery County. At that time the town consisted of 33 town lots, four retail stores, and three taverns. A courthouse was built, the first of seven to be housed in Mt. Sterling. A jail and a town pump were also installed. A large brick market house where farm produce was bought and sold confirmed the town as the commercial center of the surrounding area. Baptist, Presbyterian and Methodist churches were established during the town's first decade.
From the History section of Mount Sterling, Kentucky on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay2
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Mt Sterling North
Motel and hotel · 0.8 mi
269 Evans Avenue, Mount Sterling
Churches and places of worship4
KEAS Tabernacle Christian Methodist Episcopal Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 0.9 mi
Methodist Episcopal Church South
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Shopping7
Gas and EV charging5
Schools, colleges and libraries12
Montgomery County Area Technology Center
School · 1.6 mi
682 Woodford St, Mt Sterling
Mount Sterling Elementary School
School · 2.0 mi
6601 Indian Mound Dr, Mount Sterling
Healthcare2
CommonSpirit - Saint Joseph Hospital - Mount Sterling
Hospital · 0.8 mi
225 Falcon Drive, Mount Sterling
Map of Mount Sterling
61 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 42°F | 22°F | 3.5 in | 3.3 in |
| Feb | 46°F | 24°F | 3.7 in | 2.0 in |
| Mar | 56°F | 30°F | 4.4 in | 2.2 in |
| Apr | 67°F | 40°F | 4.4 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 76°F | 51°F | 4.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 83°F | 59°F | 4.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 86°F | 63°F | 5.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 86°F | 61°F | 3.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 80°F | 53°F | 3.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 68°F | 42°F | 3.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 56°F | 31°F | 3.4 in | 0.2 in |
| Dec | 45°F | 25°F | 4.3 in | 1.1 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Mt Sterling (1 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Montgomery County has had 16 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2026-01-24: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2025-04-03: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2025-02-16: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Landslides (Severe Storm)
- 2024-11-26: Remnants Of Hurricane Helene (Tropical Storm)
- 2021-03-31: Severe Winter Storms, Landslides, And Mudslides (Severe Ice Storm)
- 2020-03-28: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Blue Grass Airport (LEX) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 36 miles away.
- Owingsville 12 mi northeast, about 19 min by car
- Winchester 14 mi west, about 22 min by car
- Clay City 14 mi south, about 23 min by car
- Stanton 16 mi south, about 26 min by car
- Carlisle 18 mi north, about 29 min by car
- Paris 20 mi northwest, about 32 min by car
- Irvine 26 mi south, about 41 min by car
- Lexington-Fayette 28 mi west, about 45 min by car
- Morehead 28 mi east, about 46 min by car
- Richmond 30 mi southwest, about 48 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Downtown Mount Sterling, Kentucky, Publichall, Public domain
- Church of the Ascension, Mount Sterling, Nyttend, Public domain
- Mount Sterling UMC, old building, Nyttend, Public domain
- KEAS Tabernacle, Nyttend, Public domain
- Confederate Monument of Mt. Sterling, C. Bedford Crenshaw, Attribution
- Enoch Smith House, Nyttend, Public domain
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.