Welcome to Sterling!

County: Logan

Proximity to other towns: Located 104.9 miles from Greeley, 127.1 miles from Aurora, 25.9 miles from Fleming.

Population: 11,360

Elevation: 3939 feet

History: Sterling is the largest city in Northeastern Colorado and the county seat of Logan County and the site of the domed Logan County courthouse, built in 1909.

A number of early settlers first settled in the Union Colony, now Greeley, CO, but found the best farmland already taken, so came back east along the South Platte river and formed the first town of Sterling, about four miles north of the present town site. Here they built sod huts and dugouts along the treeless river valley.

The current site where Sterling stands was owned John E. Boyd, who sold it to Minos King for $400. The site for the new town was surveyed and platted by railroad surveyor David Leavitt, from Sterling, Illinois. After laying out the new town, most of the settlers from the old Sterling settlement moved to the new locality. In 1884, city articles of incorporation were completed, with George Wilson elected as mayor. In 1887 with the creation of Logan County, Sterling was made the county seat by governor Alva Adams.

Railroad played an incredible role in development across the United States and Sterling roots itself similarly. When the Union Pacific decided to extend its line from Julesburg to Lasalle, early Sterling Colony members elected Minos C. King to meet with railroad officials in Omaha to lure the line through Sterling. In 1881 the railroad came through and the town began to develop with a lumberyard, general store, and hotel near the depot. Articles of incorporation were completed in 1884 and George Wilson became the first mayor.