| Official Name: | Mount Sterling, Kentucky |
| Settlement Type: | City |
| Motto: | "Ringing with Unity and Pride" |
| Mapsize: | 250px |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | United States |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Name1: | Kentucky |
| Subdivision Type2: | County |
| Subdivision Name2: | Montgomery |
| Established Title: | Established |
| Established Date: | 1792[1] |
| Established Title2: | Incorporated |
| Established Date2: | 1852 |
| Unit Pref: | Imperial |
| Area Footnotes: | [2] |
| Area Total Km2: | 11.68 |
| Area Land Km2: | 11.62 |
| Area Water Km2: | 0.06 |
| Area Total Sq Mi: | 4.51 |
| Area Land Sq Mi: | 4.49 |
| Area Water Sq Mi: | 0.02 |
| Population As Of: | 2020 |
| Population Footnotes: | [3] |
| Population Total: | 7558 |
| Pop Est As Of: | 2022 |
| Pop Est Footnotes: | [4] |
| Population Est: | 7555 |
| Population Density Km2: | 650.19 |
| Population Density Sq Mi: | 1684.05 |
| Timezone: | Eastern (EST) |
| Utc Offset: | -5 |
| Timezone Dst: | EDT |
| Utc Offset Dst: | -4 |
| Elevation M: | 297 |
| Elevation Ft: | 974 |
| Coordinates: | 38.0567°N -83.9444°W |
| Postal Code Type: | ZIP code |
| Postal Code: | 40353 |
| Area Code: | 859 |
| Blank Name: | FIPS code |
| Blank Info: | 21-54084 |
| Blank1 Name: | GNIS feature ID |
| Blank1 Info: | 0498865 |
Mount Sterling, often written as Mt. Sterling,[5] is a home rule-class city[6] in Montgomery County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 7,558 as of the 2020 census,[3] up from 6,895 in 2010. It is the county seat of Montgomery County and the principal city of the Mount Sterling micropolitan area.
Mount Sterling is named for an ancient burial mound called "Little Mountain", and for the town of Stirling in Scotland. It was named by the first developer of the area, Hugh Forbes. The Kentucky Assembly passed an act in 1792 establishing the town as Mt. Sterling, a misspelling which was retained.[7]
The area was originally part of the thick wilderness of central Kentucky. Explorers, hunters, and surveyors traveling along a trail called Old Harper's Trace noted a 125adj=midNaNadj=mid tree-covered mound which they called "the Little Mountain". Later excavations showed it to be a burial site. The site of the mound is now the intersection of Queen and Locust streets in Mt. Sterling.
The first cabin in the area was built in 1779. The first permanent settlement was established around 1790, when Forbes began to sell lots and laid out a road, now Locust Street. In 1796 the town was established as the county seat of newly created Montgomery County. At that time the town consisted of 33 town lots, four retail stores, and three taverns. A courthouse was built, the first of seven to be housed in Mt. Sterling. A jail and a town pump were also installed. A large brick market house where farm produce was bought and sold confirmed the town as the commercial center of the surrounding area. Baptist, Presbyterian and Methodist churches were established during the town's first decade.
During the Civil War the town was occupied alternately by Union and Confederate troops on multiple occasions. The Battle of Mount Sterling in June 1864, which ended in a Confederate defeat, was the last of the fighting in Montgomery County.
Mt. Sterling is located northwest of the center of Montgomery County at 38.0567°N -83.9444°W (38.056613, -83.944500).[8] It is east of Lexington and west of Huntington, West Virginia. U.S. Route 60 passes through the city as Main Street, leading northeast to Owingsville and west-southwest to Winchester. U.S. Route 460 crosses US 60 in the center of Mt. Sterling, leading northwest to Paris and southeast to Frenchburg. Kentucky Route 11 joins US 460 through the center of Mt. Sterling but leads north to Flemingsburg and south to Clay City. Interstate 64 passes through the northern part of Mt. Sterling, with access from exits 110 (US 460) and 113 (US 60), and connecting Mt. Sterling with Lexington and Huntington.
According to the United States Census Bureau, Mt. Sterling has a total area of 4.52sqmi, of which 0.02sqmi, or 0.49%, are water.[2] Hinkston Creek runs through the city center, flowing north and then west to the South Fork of the Licking River in northern Bourbon County.
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Mt. Sterling has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.[9]
As of the census[10] of 2000, there were 5,876 people, 2,478 households, and 1,536 families residing in the city. The population density was 1708.9sp=usNaNsp=us. There were 2,768 housing units at an average density of 805sp=usNaNsp=us. The racial makeup of the city was 89.09% White, 8.73% African American, 0.22% Native American, 0.19% Asian, 0.75% from other races, and 1.02% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 1.68% of the population.
There were 2,478 households, out of which 28.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.8% were married couples living together, 14.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.0% were non-families. 33.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.89.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 22.7% under the age of 18, 10.6% from 18 to 24, 28.4% from 25 to 44, 21.0% from 45 to 64, and 17.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $27,050, and the median income for a family was $54,074. Males had a median income of $30,584 versus $21,081 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,585. About 17.1% of families and 19.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 29.4% of those under age 18 and 17.8% of those age 65 or over.
Beginning in the eighteenth century, Court Day quickly became the annual trading day for the area. It remains a big event today, held on the third Monday in October and the weekend prior. Approximately 130,000 people from all parts of the country gather for the four-day event that specializes in many different arts and crafts, food and music.[11]
The Gateway Regional Arts Center holds classes and exhibitions in the former First United Methodist Church, a historic building listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Mount Sterling has a lending library, a branch of the Montgomery County Public Library.[12]
The city is served by Montgomery County Public Schools and is home to Montgomery County High School.[13]