Sterling, Washington facts for kids
Sterling is a small place, or what we call an unincorporated community, located in Skagit County, which is in the state of Washington in the United States. This means it's a group of homes and businesses that isn't officially a town or city with its own local government.
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The History of Sterling
Early Days and Native Peoples
Long ago, the area where Sterling is now was home to a group of Skagit people called the Mesekwegwils. They built a very large longhouse here. A longhouse was a big, long building where many families lived together, especially during the cold winter months. The original name for this village site in their language, Lushootseed, was sxʷiʔxʷičəb.
Founding and First Buildings
The community of Sterling was officially planned and marked out in 1878. Just one year later, in 1879, a post office opened in Sterling. This was an important place for people to send and receive letters and packages. The post office stayed open for about 11 years, closing its doors in 1890.
Sterling's First School
Sterling was also special because it had the very first school in the area that is now known as Sedro-Woolley. Imagine going to school there! In the late 1800s, people living in Sterling would often travel to Sedro-Woolley by canoe. Canoes were a common way to get around on the rivers and waterways back then.
