Sterling, Washington

Sterling is an unincorporated community in Skagit County, in the U.S. state of Washington.[1]

History

The Mesekwegwils (Lushootseed: bəsikʷigʷilc)[2] (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.[3] The Lushootseed name for Sterling, as well as the prior village site, is sxʷiʔxʷičəb.[2]

Sterling was laid out in 1878.[4] A post office called Sterling was established in 1879, and remained in operation until 1890.[5] 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.[6]

References

  1. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Sterling, Washington
  2. ^ a b Bates, Dawn (2003). Lushootseed dictionary. University of Washington Press. pp. 34–253. ISBN 0-295-97323-4. OCLC 843308724.
  3. ^ Hollenbeck, Jan L. (August 1987). A cultural resource overview: prehistory, ethnography and history: Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. U.S. Forest Service. p. 128.
  4. ^ Meany, Edmond S. (1923). Origin of Washington geographic names. Seattle: University of Washington Press. p. 289.
  5. ^ "Post Offices". Jim Forte Postal History. Retrieved August 25, 2016.
  6. ^ Sedro-Woolley, Washington. Charleston, SC: Arcadia Publishing. 2003. ISBN 9781439630365.

48°29′31″N 122°16′51″W / 48.49194°N 122.28083°W / 48.49194; -122.28083


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