Sterling, Washington Explained

Sterling is an unincorporated community in Skagit County, in the U.S. state of Washington.

History

The Mesekwegwils ^[1] (sometimes transliterated as Mee-see-qua-guilch or buh-see-kwee-GWEELTS), a band of the Skagit people, built a large winter longhouse at what is now Sterling.^[2] The Lushootseed name for Sterling, as well as the prior village site, is sxʷiʔxʷičəb.

Sterling was laid out in 1878.^[3] A post office called Sterling was established in 1879, and remained in operation until 1890.^[4] Sterling was the site of the first school in the Sedro-Woolley area; residents in the late nineteenth century would travel to Sedro-Woolley by canoe.^[5]

References

48.4919°N -122.2808°W

Notes and References

1. Book: Bates, Dawn . Lushootseed dictionary . 2003 . University of Washington Press . 0-295-97323-4 . 34–253 . 843308724.
2. Book: Hollenbeck, Jan L. . A cultural resource overview: prehistory, ethnography and history: Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest . August 1987 . U.S. Forest Service . 128.
3. Book: Meany, Edmond S.. Origin of Washington geographic names. 1923. University of Washington Press. Seattle. 289.
4. Web site: Post Offices. Jim Forte Postal History . 25 August 2016.
5. Book: . 2003 . Sedro-Woolley, Washington . Charleston, SC . Arcadia Publishing . 9781439630365.