Sterling, Illinois
Sterling is a city of 14,717 people in Whiteside County, Illinois, founded in 1838.
Why visit Sterling
Townapedia lists 10 museums and landmarks, 35 parks and trails, 22 places to eat, 1 place to stay and 3 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Sterling Theatre, Dillon Home Museum and Sinnissippi Mounds.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 83°F; January lows average 14°F, and about 31 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Sterling
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Sterling
Sterling is a city in Whiteside County, Illinois, United States, along the Rock River. The population was 14,782 at the 2020 census, down from 15,370 in 2010. Formerly nicknamed "The Heart of American Hardware," the city has long been associated with manufacturing and the steel industry.
From the Wikipedia article Sterling, Illinois (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do3
Museums and landmarks10
Sinnissippi Mounds
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.9 mi
Archaeological site in Illinois, United States
Fulton Commercial Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.7 mi
Historic district in Illinois, United States
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Paul W. Dillon Home
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.0 mi
Building in Illinois, United States
Sterling Masonic Temple
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.8 mi
Historic building in Sterling, Illinois, United States
Parks, trails and playgrounds35
23 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes22
Angelo's Pizzeria
Restaurant · Pizza, Pasta, Italian · 1.8 mi
608 12th Avenue, Rock Falls
Su-Th 14:00-22:00; Fr,Sa 14:00-23:00
Johnny's Bar & Grill
Bar and pub · 1.3 mi
707 Freeport Road, Sterling
Mo-Fr 13:00-01:00; Sa-Su 12:00-01:00
El Jacalito
Restaurant · 0.8 mi
14 East 3rd Street, Sterling
Tu-Sa 10:00-21:00; Su 10:00-16:00
Taco Bell
Fast food · Tex-Mex · 0.7 mi
405 Locust Street, Sterling
Mo-Th 06:00-02:00; Fr-Sa 06:00-03:00; Su 06:00-02:00
10 more on the map.
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.
From the History section of Sterling, Illinois on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay1
Holiday Inn Express & Suites
Motel and hotel · 1.1 mi
301 East 2nd Street, Rock Falls
Churches and places of worship47
First Congregational Church of Sterling
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 0.7 mi
311 2nd Avenue, Sterling
Shopping8
Gas and EV charging8
Schools, colleges and libraries44
Healthcare7
Sterling Veterans Affairs Outpatient Clinic
Clinic and pharmacy · 1.8 mi
2901 East Lincolnway, Sterling
CGH Lynn Blvd Medical Center
Clinic and pharmacy · 2.0 mi
3010 East Lynn Boulevard, Sterling
Rock Falls Medical Clinic
Clinic and pharmacy · 2.2 mi
1315 Dixon Avenue, Rock Falls
Whiteside County Health Department
Clinic and pharmacy · 1.5 mi
1300 West 2nd Street, Rock Falls
Map of Sterling
185 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 29°F | 14°F | 2.0 in | 13.0 in |
| Feb | 34°F | 17°F | 1.8 in | 5.7 in |
| Mar | 46°F | 28°F | 2.6 in | 4.5 in |
| Apr | 60°F | 39°F | 4.0 in | 0.6 in |
| May | 71°F | 51°F | 4.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 80°F | 61°F | 5.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 83°F | 64°F | 4.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 81°F | 62°F | 4.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 75°F | 54°F | 3.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 63°F | 42°F | 3.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 48°F | 30°F | 2.4 in | 1.8 in |
| Dec | 34°F | 20°F | 2.2 in | 5.6 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Dixon 1W Hcn (10 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
Whiteside County has had 8 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for floods.
- 2020-03-26: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2019-09-19: Severe Storms And Flooding (Flood)
- 2013-05-10: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Flood)
- 2011-03-17: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm (Snowstorm)
- 2008-06-24: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Whiteside County Airport (SQI) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 4 miles away.
- Dixon 12 mi east, about 19 min by car
- Freeport 34 mi north, about 55 min by car
- East Moline 41 mi southwest, about 1 h by car
- Kewanee 41 mi south, about 1 h by car
- Rockford 45 mi northeast, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Moline 47 mi southwest, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Davenport 50 mi west, about 1 h 15 min by car
- DeKalb 50 mi east, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Rock Island 51 mi southwest, about 1 h 30 min by car
- Loves Park 52 mi northeast, about 1 h 30 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
- Sterling Il Brick road2, IvoShandor, CC BY 2.5
- Sterling Masonic Temple, Nyttend, Public domain
- Greetings from Sterling and Rock Falls, Illinois - Large Letter Postcard (5274387696), Steve Shook from Moscow, Idaho, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Recycle, Sterling, Illinois (7821589816), Wayne Wilkinson, CC BY 2.0
- El Vaquero, Sterling, Illinois (7821608814), Wayne Wilkinson, CC BY 2.0
- El Vaquero Signage and Billiard Balls, Sterling, Illinois (7821622968), Wayne Wilkinson, CC BY 2.0
- Standing Guard in Sterling, Illinois (7821461328), Wayne Wilkinson, CC BY 2.0
- Aloha Shack rear view, Sterling, Illinois (7820849150), Wayne Wilkinson, CC BY 2.0
- Aloha Shack, Northland Mall, Sterling, Illinois (7820833694), Wayne Wilkinson, CC BY 2.0
- McCune Village near Sterling, Nyttend, Public domain
- Sterling Il First Congregational Church6, IvoShandor, CC BY 2.5
- Sterling Il Sinnissippi Site5, IvoShandor, CC BY 2.5
- Sterling Il Dillon Home1, IvoShandor, CC BY 2.5
- ISS050-E-61132 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS036-E-21179 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS023-E-37095 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- Image Downtown Fulton, Boscophotos, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Jack Delano, The end of the trip, 1943, Jack Delano, Public domain
- Hennepin Canal, from the bridge on East 2nd Street in Rock Falls, Illinois, MalcolmSlaney, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Hopewell Indian Mounds at Sinnissippi Park, MalcolmSlaney, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2022 XC - Twin Cities - 2022-09-13-17-25-18 (52356680160), Malcolm Slaney, CC BY 2.0
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