Sterling

Sterling County

Updated on: January 11, 2022
Coordinates
31° 49' 12" N, 101° 3' 0" W (31.82, -101.05)
State
Texas
Region
Central West
County Seat:
Sterling City
Year Organized:
1891
Total Square Miles:
923.516
Population:
1295 (2017)
Persons/Square Mile:
1
Sterling County Website
http://www.co.sterling.tx.us/

Contiguous Counties

Mitchell (N)
Coke (E)
Tom Green (S)
Reagan (SW)
Glasscock (W)
Howard (NW)

Sterling County Town List

County structure

Government Type:
County
Authority:
Dillon's Rule
Legislative Body:
Commisioners Court
Size of Legislative Body:
5

Demographics

2018 Population:
1295
25 to 64 Years of Age:
49.50%
65 Years of Age and Older:
14.42%

Economy, 2018

Gross Domestic Product (GDP):
$317.7 M
Labor Force:
582
Unemployment Rate:
3.30%

County Contact

PO BOX 819
County Courthouse
Sterling City, TX, 76951-0819

http://www.co.sterling.tx.us

Sterling County is bordered on the North by Mitchell and Howard Counties. Glasscock and Regan’s counties are on the West, Tom Green county sits at the North while Coke County lies on the East, respectively. The county’s geographical center lies at Latitude 31°50′ N and Longitude 101°03′ W and is 37 miles south of Midland.

This county’s name is after one W. S. Sterling, arguably one of the oldest settlers in the area who hunted buffaloes and owned ranches. Sterling City is the county’s seat.

Topography

The 914 square miles of core grassland in Sterling County are bordered by rolling hills. River runoff from the North Concho River is where its tributaries originates. Soils in the wild might be anything from fine sand to dark chocolate.

The region receives about a year’s worth of rain on average at 19 inches. At 33 degrees Fahrenheit in January and 95 degrees Fahrenheit in July, the area has a 224-day growing season. As recently as the 1980s, agriculture, and ranching were responsible for 96% of all land use in the county’s boundaries.

Economic Growth

In 1891, a new county was created from Tom Green County. Sterling City and Cummins fought each other for the right to be the county’s seat of government of the newly formed Sterling County. Most Cummins residents had moved to Sterling City by the end of the year as it eventually claimed the county seat. In 1898, the residents of Sterling County voted to ban the sale of alcohol in the area. As far back as the 1890s, sheep herding was common in the area. In 1889, the first fields of cotton were opened for farming.

As early as 1895, Sterling City was home to one of the first cotton gins. 136 acres (0.55 km2) of cotton were cultivated in 1900. In 1910, 1,626 acres (0.55 km2) of cotton were planted. A total area of 6.58 square miles. Due to the size of the county, grazing was always the most practical alternative. Sterling County’s agriculture industry made an average of $7.5 million in the early 1980s.

Beef cattle, lambs, and goats accounted for the bulk of the money made by the industry. Barley, wheat, hay, and nuts were all abundant in the region. Despite the absence of industries, oil and gas production play a vital role in the local economies. The sale of 2.5 million barrels of oil brought in $75 million in revenue for the county in that year. As one of the world’s largest oil companies, Sterling has sold 286,548,000 barrels since 1947.

Cotton output in Sterling County had been reduced to 650 acres by 1920. (2.6 square kilometers). Cotton gins went extinct in the end. The livestock industry in the county is continually expanding. Sterling County had a record number of farms and ranches in the early 1920s. Farms and ranches had increased from 131 in 1920 to 176 by the end of the year. The county’s principal highways to Big Spring are US 87 (north-south) and State 158 (north-east) (east-west). The county’s major highway is State Highway 163.

County Offices

The county judge is responsible for organizing elections, issuing election notices, and receiving and reviewing election returns. Judge Deborah Horwood is the County Judge and is available via phone at 325-378-3481 or Fax: 325-378-3111. The physical address to the office is Box 819, Sterling City, TX 76951.

The commissioners decide how many employees work for the county and how much money each office requires to function correctly during the budget process. Ross Copeland heads Precinct 1, and the physical address is Box 518, Sterling City, TX 76951 and Phone: 325-450-4124. Precinct 2 Commissioner is Edward Michulka, Jr, and their address is Box 868 Sterling City, TX 76951, and Phone (325-378-2303). Tommy Wright Jr. is the head of Precinct 3 and is available via phone at 325-378-2116. The physical address to the office is Box 1007, Sterling City, TX 76951. Reed Stewart is Precinct’s 4 Commissioner, and the address is 13600 US Hwy 87N, Sterling City, TX 76951. Through phone at 325-378-5584.

The county judge is responsible for everything from the county commissioners’ court to the county’s budget. In addition, he participates in a wide range of political activities. Lilli Hensley is the county attorney, and the address is PO Box 88, Sterling City, TX 76951. You can reach the office through phone at 325-378-5621.

The constables have the power to serve civil process documents in their county and any neighboring one. The address to the constable’s office is 609 4th Ave, Sterling City, TX 76951, USA.

Because some counties lack bail bond boards, sheriffs are responsible for executing state law, operating the county jail, defending the courts, issuing warrants and civil papers, and supervising bail bond agents in counties that lack one. Sheriff Tim A. Sanders is the county sheriff, and the address to the office is Box 928 Sterling City, TX 76951. He is available via phone at 325-378-4771.

Tourist Attractions

Overland Trail Museum

For their journeys, gold seekers and settlers used the Overland Trail, a section of Highway 6 east of the South Platte River. Overland Trail was a stagecoach route in Nebraska. In some way, the Oregon Trail made its way past this location. Throughout northeastern Colorado, the Overland Trail followed the South Platte River’s south bank.

According to tradition, the Overland Trail was the busiest highway in the United States between 1862 and 1868. In 1936, the museum built its first fort-like structure, made of natural rock and based on early trading forts. The building has grown in size, but the locals’ collections have over the last 65 years.

A one-room schoolhouse, the Concord Evangelical Lutheran Church, the Dailey Cash Store, and a granary barn were all erected before World War I. It has a wide range of farm and ranch equipment (including branding irons, saddles, and tack). Among other things, there’s a well-stocked blacksmith shop and a wide variety of farm machinery to choose from.

Sterling Creatives

Sterling, Colorado, is home to the Sterling Creatives, an artistic collective of fifteen artists who work together on various projects. Thanks to a few artists, it was still going strong in 2017. There is an intense desire among the artists in northeastern Colorado to increase exposure for their work while also fostering ties among themselves. Visit the gallery to look around and talk to the artists, or sign up for a class or seminar there instead.

Hospitals In Sterling County

Sterling Regional Medcenter – Sterling Regional Medical Center is located at 615 Fairhurst Street in Sterling, Colorado. It is a great place to work because of its focus on family and community, as well as its high-quality standards. It’s a pretty advanced institution. The medical community and the individuals in the surrounding area have been tremendously helpful.

Colorado Plains Medical Center – CPMC is a 50-bed acute-care hospital in the Chicago area. It has received a perfect score from the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals. It is the hospital’s primary responsibility to care for the 35,000 residents of a two-county region who live near its Level III Trauma Center and Emergency Room, among other amenities. Diagnostic imaging services are available throughout the facility. Hospitals provide a wide range of services for patients, including cardiovascular, general, orthopedic, orthopedic, laboratory, social services, nutrition, and home health care.

Sidney Regional Medical Center- The medical center is located at 645 Osage St, Sidney, NE 69162. In addition to a 25-bed acute care unit and an emergency room staffed around the clock by providers, this critical access hospital also provides a physician’s clinic, walk-in clinic, surgical services, an extended care unit, and an assisted living facility. Services that aren’t often available in rural regions can be provided by SRMC and its affiliates. The surrounding region’s citizens will benefit as SRMC expands and develops.