History
Pioneers gave Bellevue its name in 1882 from the French word meaning "beautiful view." One of the town’s earliest settlers was William Meydenbauer, who rowed across Lake Washington from his Seattle home in the 1860s and built a cabin along the shoreline of what is now Bellevue (Meydenbauer Center is named for him). Bellevue was once just a crossroads with a gas station and a grocery store, surrounded by strawberry fields. The city was incorporated in 1953 -- its first high-rise was built back in 1969 and towered above its low-rise neighbors at 13 stories high.

Description
Today, Bellevue is a quickly developing city on the east side of Lake Washington. Access to and from Seattle is via either the I-90 bridge or the 520 bridge. Downtown Bellevue is the focal point for growth in business and housing. Its attractions include a multitude of restaurants and coffee shops, Bellevue Square (one of the largest shopping malls on the West Coast), two museums, the flagship King County Library, millions of square feet of Class A office space, a regional convention center, many bookstores, movie theaters, and several parks.

The 443-acre downtown area has evolved into a robust and dynamic regional center of national prominence. While a developing and bustling professional city, it still retains some small-town perks, such as free parking at many stores and buildings. Bus service to and from Seattle is also very accessible and convenient.

Residents
Most Bellevue residents are professionals; many working in the quickly developing technology field. There is a mix of singles, married couples, and families who reside here. Elaborate estates, family homes, small cottages, apartment buildings, and high-rise condominium buildings coexist peacefully throughout Bellevue.

Rental Housing
Younger than Seattle, much of the development in this area began in the 1950’s and continues today. Rental housing typically is found in larger, newer apartment complexes. In the downtown core, apartment buildings are generally of a mid-rise, condominium style. Outside of the downtown sector the apartment buildings are larger, sprawling complexes often having 75 or more units. Rental rates vary considerably throughout Bellevue, but most typically, rental rates range from $1.45 to $1.75 a square foot. There are very few vintage style buildings on the Eastside and if your focus is to rent an older, character-rich unit with hardwood floors, you will find more rental options in Seattle.

Fun Stuff
Public art is dispersed throughout Bellevue. Bellevue’s public art first appeared in the 1940’s with "Forest Deity," a wood carving by Dudley Carter at Bellevue Square. Today, over 70 works of public art can be seen outdoors and inside buildings in 16 downtown locations. These include fountains, sculptures, and paintings.

Bellevue Square, The Galleria, Crossroads Mall, and other smaller shopping locations offer some of the most extensive shopping amenities in Washington State. Downtown retail shopping offers a wide variety of goods and services. These businesses generate some of the highest sales-per-square-foot ratios in the nation, making Downtown clearly one of the Northwest’s premier shopping destinations.

Bellevue is often referred to as "A City in a Park" - the Downtown Park, one of many city parks, reinforces that thought. The Downtown Park is 20 acres of beauty in the heart of the downtown. Park features include a 240-foot long, 10-foot high waterfall, a canal enclosing a 5-acre open meadow, a 28-food-wide promenade and a reflecting pool.

Bellevue hosts many events throughout the year, with the highlight being the Pacific Northwest Arts Fair during the month of July. During the fair thousands of visitors meander through hundreds of booths as the fair shuts down part of downtown to allow for the numerous pedestrians that come to buy or look at the beautiful works of art. Bellevue also hosts the Bellevue Home Show, City Hall Art Show, Bridal Fair, Easter Egg Hunt, Summer Music Lunch Concerts, 4th of July Fireworks, and the Seafair Water Festival.