Some say Sterling was laid out by three drunks on acid. The town is bisected by an Interstate (I-76), two U.S. highways (6 and 138) and four Colorado highways (14, 61, 63 and 119), numbered streets, numbered avenues, and a wealth of five-way intersections. Despite the tangle, Sterling stands in tribute to the hearty Irish, Czech, German and Russian pioneers who fought drought, depression and tornadoes to farm and ranch on the Great Plains. Anchored by railroads, the South Platte River and irrigation ditches, the town takes pride in being “a drive-thru museum.” Its heritage was shaped cattle barons like John Iliff and Jared Bush, Great Western Sugar Co. (1905-1985) and Sterling Colorado Beef Packing (1960-97) and today boasts 60 percent of Logan County’s 22,504 residents. The economy is anchored by two golf courses, a correctional facility, Northeastern Junior College and Sterling Ethanol, where corn is being turned into fuel.
Getting around: Sterling is 128 miles northeast of Denver – about two hours. Take I-25 north to I-76 and head east for 119 miles to Exit 125.
