On May 28, 2011 Eastside Heritage Center opened the Smithsonian Museum on Main Street exhibit entitled Journey Stories at Crossroads Shopping Center in Bellevue.  Journey Stories examined the intersection between modes of travel and Americans’ desire to feel free to move.  The story focused on immigration, migration, innovation, and freedom.  EHC developed companion exhibits on local “journey” themes, including the story of the first Lake Washington Floating Bridge, Eastside souvenirs, and the personal journey stories of Eastsiders.

The timing of the exhibit coincided with EHC’s annual Strawberry Festival in Bellevue, held at Crossroads Park on June 25-26, 2011.  In an effort to capture some of the individual and family journey stories of local residents, EHC began planning for a “Journey Stories Booth” at the Festival, where participants would be encouraged to share their stories on video.

The Journey Stories Booth was set-up next to the EHC’s Mini-Museum at the Strawberry Festival in Bellevue on June 25-26, 2011. Over 63 interviews were conducted that first year. Additional interviews were conducted at subsequent festivals. Below is a selection from those interviews.