While researching the Sterling area we discovered major changes in the flow of the Skagit River. The background drawing was made by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1897. The picture is also available in Images.
The River had two large loops just to the south of this location. The northern loop flowed within 300 feet of this location near the railroad tracks. Disastrous twin floods of 1896 and 1897 followed another earlier in 1894 generated interest of the government. The Corps was investigating the possibilities of forcing a new channel of the Skagit river west of Sedro and southeast of old Sterling. After the river itself formed a shallow slough on a straighter course, the Corps dynamited the channel and then the mighty flood of 1921 cut straight through, forming a main channel north of DeBay's farm, forming an island. The southern loop is now a dry slough and DeBay's farm is now a wildlife refuge. By looking at this area on Google Maps you can still see the old river path as the trees grew along it.
Congratulations Oma & Opa G on the quick FTF.