The city of Bellevue, Washington is situated in the state's King County. It's situated right across Lake Washington from the city of Seattle and for several years was considered a satellite city or suburb of Seattle. These days, it is recognized and categorized as an edge city or "boomburb." The 2010 census recorded the population to be 122,363.
The downtown core of Bellevue is going through rapid change. Currently, it is the 2nd biggest city center within Washington State. There are more than 35,000 workers and around 5000 residents in the area. The city of Bellevue is the 6th wealthiest amongst 522 communities within the state based on per capita income.
Initially settled during the latter part of the 1860s and early 1870s, Bellevue quickly became a popular site for residents of nearby Seattle to enjoy their summer homes. The first towering evergreens in the area eventually were removed to make way for agriculture. For the first half of the 20th century, the city of Bellevue was recognized for its abundance of blueberry and strawberry farms. During 1940, the first floating bridge across Lake Washington was finished and immediately, Seattle became a suburban and much more accessible site. Because the people flocked to the community, the entire region went through much growth that continued for several decades as more companies and families ushered in. During the year 1953, Bellevue was incorporated as a city.
Due to the highway access via Interstate 90 and State Route 520 into downtown Seattle, the city of Bellevue started to flourish. The city of Bellevue is located near Microsoft's home in Redmond Washington. At present, the city of Bellevue is home to various head offices of a variety of small and big companies, a good portion of which are companies that started in the 1990s. There are lots of thriving commercial districts within the region including 3 major shopping centers other than the Bellevue Square. These shopping places are: Crossroads Mall towards the East, Overlake Shopping District in the North and Factoria Mall situated in the south.
The city has held since 1947, the yearly Bellevue Arts and Crafts Fair, which operates at the end of the month of July. This fair is able to draw thousands of visitors to the region each and every year. Moreover, the city likewise holds an annual Strawberry Festival to be able to celebrate and pay homage its history of strawberry farming.
The Bellevue Sculpture Exhibition is held within the city every year, attracting thousands to the Downtown Park. On hand they have as many as 46 three-dimensional art creations from artists from all over the US. There is likewise the yearly Bellevue 24-Hour Relay that happens in the Downtown Park each and every July.
In a short driving distance of Bellevue are many places of interest. The Bellevue Arts Museum is located in the downtown area. This is considered to be the Pacific Northwest's main center for the exploration of crafts, design and arts. There is a special emphasis placed on the work of local artists.
The KidsQuest Children's Museum is another gem within the city where children can interact with exhibits, play areas and educational displays. There are various classroom spaces and discovery areas available for large school groups. Another excellent place to go to is the Bellevue Botanical Garden. This massive wonderland consists of 53 acres showcasing wetlands, meadows, woodlands and display gardens. During December, the Garden hosts the annual Garden d'Lights Festival. Scores of families visit to enjoy the three-dimensional sculptures of plants and animals that are made utilizing bundled Christmas lights depicting nature-themed scenes.