Bellevue’s food history is distinctive, partly because its geography contributed bountiful resources. Native Americans came first to Bellevue’s shores to fish and forage. Early Bellevue settlers came for the country life and farming. Strawberry and blueberry fields, small farms and dairy cows ambling in the pastures along winding streams and picturesque lakes come to mind when we think of Bellevue’s early days. Those strawberries gave Bellevue its first identity, with the Strawberry Festival providing an early opportunity for community life.