Lew Sterling started construction of this home sometime around 1907 or 1908. An article in the Stanton Clipper Weekly on 11 Feb 1910 said Lew Sterling has moved into his new cement house on South Lincoln Street which he has had under construction for the past few years. Lew Sterling was a prominent business man in Stanton for many years. An article in the Clipper-Herald described the many business ventures Mr. Sterling was involved in. He began selling agricultural implements in connection with a grocery business. Soon the implement business grew to such proportions that he closed out his grocery business and devoted his time, along with several assistants, to running the large implement business. The growth of this business forced him to move several times to buildings that could accommodate his inventory. He soon found himself owning, what was then called, the Palace block and remodeled the stores to make one large, elegant store. The Clipper-Herald said he had "the largest store of this kind, outside of Detroit or Grand Rapids, in this state." The Palace Block was located on the south side of Main Street where the bank now stands.

     The store carried a large stock of carriages and wagons; many were the Studebaker Brothers brand. He also carried harnesses, plows, and dealt in the selling of horses. The newspaper article said he had one of the best arranged livery barns in the county. According to this article he bought and sold more horses and took more in exchange for wagons and carriages than anybody in the county.

     Not only did he deal with farm equipment but Mr. Sterling also had a retail lumber business where he kept all kinds of "dressed and rough lumber for sale". Mr. Sterling died in 1940 and is buried at Forest Hill cemetery.

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