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

History

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

Sterling was laid out in 1878. A post office called Sterling was established in 1879, and remained in operation until 1890. 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.