Sterling City was named for W.S. Sterling, a buffalo hunter and Indian fighter.
Land for the new town was donated in January 1891 by R.C. Stewart, and was platted by H.B. Tarver in February.
That same year it was designated the seat of Sterling County.
The town soon grew to 300 residents and had its own newspaper, a hotel, a post office, and several other businesses, and a school and three churches.

Sterling City was a stop on the Santa Fe Railroad by 1910, but the service was eventually abandoned.
The depot still exists as a tourist site.

During World War Two, Sterling City's population decreased by 10%.
When it was incorporated in August, 1955, Sterling City had a population of some 800 and had added three more churches, a hospital, a bank, and a library.

On May 25, 1955, fifteen United States Air Force personnel, flying in a B-36 bomber under the callsign Abbot 27, perished in a crash near Sterling City.
The airmen were members of the 40th Bomb Squadron of the 6th Bombardment Wing at Walker Air Force Base in Roswell, New Mexico.
A monument in their honor was erected in 2007 at the Tom Green County Courthouse in San Angelo.
Sterling City was named for W.S. Sterling, a buffalo hunter and Indian fighter. Land for the new town was donated in January 1891 by R.C. Stewart, and was platted by H.B. Tarver in February. That same year it was designated the seat of Sterling County. The town soon grew to 300 residents and had its own newspaper, a hotel, a post office, and several other businesses, and a school and three churches.
Sterling City was a stop on the Santa Fe Railroad by 1910, but the service was eventually abandoned. The depot still exists as a tourist site.
During World War Two, Sterling City's population decreased by 10%. When it was incorporated in August, 1955, Sterling City had a population of some 800 and had added three more churches, a hospital, a bank, and a library.
On May 25, 1955, fifteen United States Air Force personnel, flying in a B-36 bomber under the callsign Abbot 27, perished in a crash near Sterling City. The airmen were members of the 40th Bomb Squadron of the 6th Bombardment Wing at Walker Air Force Base in Roswell, New Mexico. A monument in their honor was erected in 2007 at the Tom Green County Courthouse in San Angelo.
Sterling City, Texas