Sterling, Colorado, United States

🇺🇸 Sterling is a home rule municipality and the county seat and most populous municipality of Logan County, Colorado, United States. Sterling is the principal city of the Sterling, CO Micropolitan Statistical Area.

Sterling is the largest city in the Eastern Plains region of Colorado and the site of the domed Logan County Courthouse, built in 1909.

History A post office called Sterling has been in operation since 1874. The community was named for Sterling, Illinois, the native home of a railroad official.

Geography Sterling is 128 miles (206 km) north-east of Denver, and is located on Interstate 76, on the 'eastern plains' of north-eastern Colorado.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 7.43 square miles (19.2 km²), all land.

Economy Major employers in Sterling include Northeastern Junior College, the RE-1 Valley School system, and the Sterling Correctional Facility.

Sterling is the major shopping hub for most of north-eastern Colorado and hosts stores like Wal-Mart, The Home Depot, Maurices, and The Buckle, as well as many local retailers located primarily on Main Street. Six different banks have branches in Sterling and there are local AM and FM radio stations as well as a local television station, and a long-established regional newspaper, the Sterling Journal-Advocate and South Platte Sentinel.

Government The Colorado Department of Corrections operates the Sterling Correctional Facility in Sterling.

Education Sterling is the home of Northeastern Junior College, a residential two-year college in Colorado.

Sterling is also the location of the RE-1 Valley School District.

Transport Crosson Field Municipal Airport serves Sterling, but there are no scheduled flights available from there. The closest airport served by scheduled flights is Denver International Airport, located 121 miles (195 km) away.

Sterling is also served by railroads, although only freight carriers serve the town. The main rail operator is Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF), but other operators, like Union Pacific, serve Sterling as well. The closest Amtrak station is located in Fort Morgan, about 47 miles (76 km) away.

Intercity bus service is offered by Burlington Trailways and Express Arrow with service to Denver, as well as number of cities in Nebraska including North Platte, Kearney, and Omaha.

Transport: Road • Interstate 76 connects Sterling to Denver (128 miles (206 km) southwest) and north-east to Interstate 80, in Big Springs, Nebraska, along the South Platte River. • Business Loop 76 starts on the intersection of Interstate 76 and US 6, going through East Chestnut Street, North and South 4th Street, South Division Avenue, returning to US 6, connecting Sterling to Atwood and Merino. • US 6 runs east–west linking Provincetown, Massachusetts with Bishop, California, via Nevada, Colorado, Illinois and 8 other states. • US 138 Runs parallel to Interstate 76, connecting Sterling to US 30, north of Big Springs, Nebraska. • State Highway 14 connects Sterling to Fort Collins located 102 miles (164 km) to the west.

Health care Sterling is a regional centre for health care as well and is the home of the Sterling Regional Medical Center.

Media: Radio • KSRX (97.5 FM), Branded as Bob FM, plays "80's, 90's… and whatever!"