Sterling: a plain guide to the town

Updated September 22, 2026

Sterling sits against the Rhode Island line, incorporated in 1794 out of Voluntown. Its first mill opened on the Quandock River in 1800 and quarrying, which began in the mid-1800s, still goes on. Town hall, the library and the senior centre all share the municipal building at 1183 Plainfield Pike in Oneco.

A country road and stone wall looking down toward a small New England village — Illustration — a Quiet Corner scene, not a photo of this place.We are looking for local photos. If you have anything that you want to share, let us know. We will give you credit and links back to your website, and give you a shout out for the image.

Town offices

Town offices are closed Fridays and open late on Wednesday.

Town Hall: 1183 Plainfield Pike, Oneco. 860-564-2904. Monday and Tuesday 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m., Wednesday 8 a.m.–6 p.m., Thursday 8 a.m.–4 p.m., closed Friday. sterlingct.gov
Senior Center: same building. 860-564-6781. 8:30 a.m.–1 p.m.
Parks and Recreation: 860-564-2904 ext. 110. Office 3–6 p.m. weekdays.
The municipal building grounds hold a gazebo, gymnasium, ball diamond and basketball court.

Library

The library is in the municipal building too.

Sterling Public Library: 1183 Plainfield Pike, Oneco. 860-564-2692. Thursday 1–5 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m.–noon, and Tuesday from 10 a.m. — the town's own pages disagree on whether Tuesday closes at 4 or 7, so ring first.

School

Sterling Community School is pre-K to grade 8; the district says most Sterling teenagers go on to Plainfield High School under a shared agreement.

Sterling Community School: 251 Sterling Road. 860-564-2728. Board of Education 860-564-4219. sterlingpsct.gov

Rubbish and recycling

Sterling shares a transfer station with Voluntown, and it is in Voluntown.

Voluntown/Sterling Transfer Station: 514 Brown Road, Voluntown. 860-564-7750. May–September: Wednesday, Friday and Saturday 7 a.m.–2:45 p.m., Thursday 11 a.m.–6:45 p.m. October–April: Wednesday–Saturday 7 a.m.–2:45 p.m.

History

The Sterling Hill Historic District, along Green Lane and Route 14A, went on the National Register in 1986. Rochambeau's army marched the Plainfield Pike route through it during the Revolution. The Sterling Historical Society opens by appointment and on the second Tuesday of the month, 6–8 p.m.

What we're still confirming

The town's recreation pages don't list named parks, trails or lakes, so we haven't invented any. The library's Tuesday closing time differs between two town pages and both are printed above. If something here is wrong, tell us and we'll fix it the same week.