2022 Map of Sterling Center

About this map

Sterling Center occupies the heart of this rural landscape in Blue Earth County, where the meandering Maple River winds northward through a grid of agricultural section lines and county roads. The terrain is defined by its drainage patterns, from the northern reach of the Blue Earth River to the engineered precision of Judicial Ditch Number Fortynine. Genealogists and local historians can locate established burial grounds such as Sterling Cem and Calvary Cem, providing essential touchstones for family research in this township. The southern portion of the map is notable for its varied hydrology, featuring the open waters of Lura Lake and the distinct contours of the Jackson Lakebed. This survey captures a moment in the modern era where the ancestral settlement patterns of the 19th century still align with the intensive land use of today's Minnesota prairie.