Sterling Rock Falls Historical Society

06/17/2026

Reminder that this is Sunday at 2:00 pm

🎶 The Sterling-Rock Falls Historical Society is proud to present Barry Cloyd performing “Our Land Between the Rivers: Illinois in Story and Song.”

📅 June 21, 2026
🕑 2:00 PM
📍 Sterling-Rock Falls Historical Society (Lincoln Learning Center)
611 East Third Street, Sterling, Illinois

More details will be coming soon!

06/17/2026

UPDATE: What was the answer!

The unusual-looking tool that Carolyn Keller is holding in yesterday's photo is called a sugar nipper (sometimes called sugar cutters). Before granulated sugar was sold in bags, sugar was commonly purchased in large, hard cones known as sugar loaves. Since the sugar was too hard to use directly, families used tools like this to break off smaller pieces for cooking, baking, and sweetening drinks.

It's a great reminder that many everyday tasks we take for granted today once required specialized tools and a little extra work.

Thank you to everyone who participated and shared their guesses! One of the things we enjoy most at the Sterling-Rock Falls Historical Society is sharing these fascinating pieces of everyday history and helping tell the stories behind them.

Did you know what it was, or was this your first time seeing a sugar nipper?

Our very own Carolyn Keller along with JD Huitt from The History Underground, YouTube Channel.

06/17/2026

🚗🇺🇸 Special Visitor at the Lincoln-Manahan Home Today! 🇺🇸🚗

Today, the Sterling-Rock Falls Historical Society had the pleasure of welcoming JD Huitt, creator of the popular history-focused YouTube channel The History Underground, to the Lincoln-Manahan Home Museum. With nearly 800,000 subscribers and more than 150 million views, The History Underground has become one of the most recognized history channels on YouTube, bringing stories from historic sites across America to a worldwide audience.

JD is currently undertaking an incredible cross-country journey he calls "From Sea to Shining Sea." His adventure began in Maine, the easternmost state in the contiguous United States, and will eventually take him all the way to Washington State on the Pacific Coast. Along the way, he's exploring America's history one stop at a time. His route has included iconic locations such as New York City's Times Square and portions of the historic Lincoln Highway, making Sterling a natural and important stop on his journey.

Volunteer Carolyn Keller graciously took time out of her day to provide JD with a personal tour of the Lincoln-Manahan Home, sharing the fascinating story of Abraham Lincoln's visit to Sterling on July 18, 1856.

The Lincoln-Manahan Home is one of the oldest surviving structures in Sterling-Rock Falls. Originally built in 1847, it was the home of the Manahan family when Abraham Lincoln stayed there during a campaign visit to Whiteside County. Recognizing its historical significance, the Sterling-Rock Falls Historical Society purchased the property in 2007 and undertook an extensive restoration project to return the home to its 1856 appearance. After years of dedicated work by volunteers and preservation specialists, the museum was officially dedicated on July 18, 2011—exactly 155 years after Lincoln's overnight stay.

We always enjoy sharing the stories of Sterling and Whiteside County with visitors from near and far, and we're excited that JD chose to include the Lincoln-Manahan Home as part of his journey across America. Be sure to follow The History Underground to see where his travels take him next and to watch for any future coverage of his stop in Sterling!

❓ Bonus Question for our followers:

In one of today's photos, Carolyn Keller is holding a rather unusual-looking historical object. What do you think it is? Leave your guesses in the comments and we'll reveal the answer later!

🎥 We'll be keeping an eye out for JD's upcoming video featuring the Lincoln-Manahan Home. Once it is published, we'll share it here on our page so everyone can enjoy seeing Sterling's Lincoln connection featured before a national audience.

06/11/2026

#19 Repairing the Dam – September 3, 1895

The original dam request was approved by the Illinois General Assembly in 1849 and a dam was constructed at 1000 feet in length and 14 feet wide by the Sterling Hydraulic Company. The dam was timber-crib construction and retained enough water to produce an estimated 4,000 horsepower.

In the background: Keystone Manufacturing and the industrial buildings of Rock Falls.

This is from the booklet: Photos from the Archives of the Sterling–Rock Falls Historical Society

Memories of Events, People and Places in Rock Falls and Sterling, IL

A book of 24 postcards to keep or send

Historical Research – Jenée Blackert
Design and Production – Linnea Koch

Postcard booklet published by the Sterling–Rock Falls Historical Society featuring 24 historic images from Sterling and Rock Falls. Includes photos of an early factory interior, a hearse/funeral coach, a storefront display, a group portrait, a horse-drawn scene, and a general store interior.

06/10/2026

Just a reminder that the Sterling-Rock Falls Historical Society Museum is open for summer hours today and tomorrow!

If you've never stopped by, this is a great opportunity to take a look around and see what we have to offer. The museum is located in the Carriage House on the grounds of the Dillon Home at 1005 East Third Street in Sterling.

When you arrive, park in the brick parking lot west of the Dillon Home. Enter through the gates as if you're visiting the Dillon Home, follow the driveway around, and you'll find the Carriage House on the opposite side of the property. You'll likely see a few vehicles parked inside the gates—those belong to our volunteers. Visitor parking is available outside the gates.

Even if you only have 5 or 10 minutes, stop in and take a quick look. You might be surprised by the stories, photographs, artifacts, and local history waiting to be discovered.

And don't be afraid to ask questions! One of the best parts of volunteering at a historical society is helping people solve local history mysteries. Whether you're curious about a building, a family, a photograph, a cemetery, or an event from the past, we love digging into the research. For many of us, it's like being a detective—and that's half the fun.

Come visit, explore a little local history, and see what makes our community's story so special. We hope to see you there!

06/08/2026

Not a great image but a birdseye view of Sterling 1868. Notice the avenues are named like Spruce, Vine, Pearl, etc.

06/08/2026

🕘 Summer Hours

Monday: Closed
Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday: 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Thursday: 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Friday: Closed
Saturday: 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Sunday: 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Our current summer hours are listed above. Please disregard any hours you may see elsewhere for the time being, as we're still working through updates to our website and online listings. These hours may be adjusted slightly in August.

07/11/2024

This Sunday!