STERLING TOWNSHIP

Sterling was set off from Salem Township on April 25, 1815; Dreher including Lehigh was taken off September 7, 1877.  Sterling is bounded on the North by Salem; Northeast by Greene Township, Pike County; Southeast by Dreher, South by Lehigh and West by Madison Township, Lackawanna County. 

Six Creeks bless the township:  Stevens, Wilcox, Hornbaker, Webster, Butternut and Uban.  They all flow directly into the West Branch of the Paupack. 

The first settler of Sterling was Henry Stevens, a Hollander, who married an English woman and settled on the old North and South Road (Route 196) on a little hill near the Butternut Creek and ½ mile South of Noble Town in the year 1800. 

When the township was formed in 1815, it was named Sterling.  Richard Lancaster was first given credit for the name as he was a silver smith living in the township at that time.  However, there was a second reason why it was most likely named Sterling, for it was thought to represent the quality of its settlers. 

Nobletown was the only town in Sterling Township and still is today.  The name was derived from the Noble family who established the first store in 1821-22. 

It is not know just when the name Nobletown was changed to Sterling but it was not long before Sterling became one of the largest mercantile towns in the area, along with Hollisterville both being thriving communities of new business and settlers. 

The Cannon and Military Honor Roll are located in front of the old Sterling School which is now owned by the Sterling United Methodist Church located on Route 196.  The first honor roll was placed at Sterling Corners in 1944 through the courtesy of John Gillner.  Sterling High School pupils solicited the funds under the guidance of Miss Ella Gilpin.  Fifty-nine names were on it.  Many years later the plaque found its way into a basement where it remained until the mid 1980’s when it was moved to the front of the Sterling school.  The honor roll was restored in 1994.  In the year 2005 the honor roll was again restored by the Historians of Sterling Township.  The honor roll now has 158 names listed on it.  Since war and rumors of war are inevitable, space was made for names to be added in the future.  A Memorial Day program is held yearly to honor those who have served and those who are serving in our military.