Sterling Heights dates to 1968, and 1 of its places is on the National Register
More historic than 13% of U.S. towns · #686 of 701 in Michigan. What drives it
Most of Sterling Heights was built recently: 0.6% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1977. Its Register listing is the William Upton House. Below: 4 old photos and papers, maps from 1908 on, and the census since 1940.
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1840.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Sterling Heights’ History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Sterling Heights is more historic than 13% of U.S. towns, #686 of 701 in Michigan. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its age pulls it down.
D
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Sterling Heights’ overall grade.
Among the 400 U.S. cities of 100,000 or more, Sterling Heights ranks #375 on History.
Few Michigan towns list much on the Register (a typical Michigan town has 0.0 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Sterling Heights’ 0.1 sits near the middle of its state (63% of Michigan towns have fewer) while its 1 listings outnumber those of 51% of U.S. towns.
Newer cities are common at Sterling Heights’ size: in the typical U.S. city of 100,000 or more, 5% of homes predate 1940.
NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1968.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from D− to C. The pre-1940 share (±0.2 points) is firm at this size.
Founding year: Wikidata (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →
What stands out about Sterling Heights’ past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Lost post offices, old corners, places now gone and burying grounds
Two other post offices opened and closed inside today’s town.
Plumb Brook
1840–1863
Fillmore
1851–1859
18401930today
Hamlets and corners on the map
Rudgate Manor Mobile Home ParkSterling Estates Mobile Home Park
Gone or out of use
Justus Post Officepost office
5cemeteries and burying grounds inside Sterling Heights
EdgertonHoly TrinityRussian OrthodoxSaint PaulSterling Grove
US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
On the map
Sterling Heights on the map, 1908 to 1980
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Sterling Heights. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1908Rochester sheet · 1:62,500
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Sterling Heights.
As a result of the War of 1812 and the 1817 Treaty of Fort Meigs, the area of the Michigan Territory which now makes up Sterling Heights was first surveyed by Deputy Surveyor Joseph Wampler; his survey was approved on February 20, 1818. Wampler had been one of two deputy surveyors of Perrysburg, Ohio, in 1816.
Originally created as part of Shelby Township in April 1827, it was broken off as Jefferson Township in March 1835. In March 1838, it was renamed Sterling Township.
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
In 1968, according to Wikidata. Sterling Heights’ post office opened in 1840, and the census of 1940 counted 3,648 people here.
How does Sterling Heights rank for history?
Sterling Heights is more historic than 13% of U.S. towns, #686 of 701 in Michigan. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
What is on the National Register in Sterling Heights?
One place: the William Upton House (listed 1986).
How old are the homes in Sterling Heights?
0.6% of Sterling Heights’ homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate), against a typical 12% for a Michigan town; the median home was built in 1977.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
From Wikimedia Commons (6), the National Register of Historic Places (1), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
1976
1976
2007
2007
