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What Bellevue looked like in the 1980s, These Fabulous Photos May Surprise You

By 1980, Bellevue had a population of about 73,903, and it was rapidly growing. The 1990 census confirmed Bellevue’s growing cosmopolitanism. Minorities grew twice as fast during the 1980s, reaching nearly 15 percent of the population and one out of every four schoolchildren, mainly from Asia and the Pacific Islands region. Almost half of the residents spoke a language other than English.

More distinctions were between affluent and less affluent neighborhoods, but homeownership remained high. There were increasingly stately homes along the lakeshore and in such suburbs as Medina and Hunts Point. The suburban era also left a mark on the community with neighborhoods like Lake Hills, built with ranch-style and split-level homes on winding streets and cul-de-sacs. Condominiums and large apartment buildings near downtown often cater to older residents.

Demographers noticed a new trend in the middle 1980s: more and more eastsiders remained there to work in shops, office buildings, distribution centers, and light industries. Several of the region’s most prominent companies opened corporate headquarters in Bellevue, including established firms and new ones. Microsoft began its rapid ascent to software supremacy in Bellevue before crossing city lines to Redmond. Furthermore, Bellevue became a popular destination.

Here are some stunning photos of Bellevue from the 1980s. And if you want to go back, check what Bellevue looked like in the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s.

#1 Bel-Square transitioning from an outdoor plaza to an enclosed, indoor mall, 1981

Bel-Square transitioning from an outdoor plaza to an enclosed, indoor mall, 1981

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What Bellevue looked like in the 1980s, These Fabulous Photos May Surprise You

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#2 Movie Theatre, 1981

Movie Theatre, 1981

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What Bellevue looked like in the 1980s, These Fabulous Photos May Surprise You

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#3 Bellevue Shopping Industry Buildings City Aerial, 1981

Bellevue Shopping Industry Buildings City Aerial, 1981

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What Bellevue looked like in the 1980s, These Fabulous Photos May Surprise You

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#4 Bellevue March 1987

Bellevue March 1987

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What Bellevue looked like in the 1980s, These Fabulous Photos May Surprise You

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#5 Albertson’s parking lot, Bellevue, February 15, 1987

Albertson's parking lot, Bellevue, February 15, 1987

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What Bellevue looked like in the 1980s, These Fabulous Photos May Surprise You

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#6 Barnes & Noble bookstore, Bellevue, 1989

Barnes & Noble bookstore, Bellevue, 1989

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What Bellevue looked like in the 1980s, These Fabulous Photos May Surprise You

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#7 Belle Lanes, Bellevue, May 14, 1989

Belle Lanes, Bellevue, May 14, 1989

This building now houses a Barnes & Noble and a Starbucks. The Rainier Building is in the background.

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What Bellevue looked like in the 1980s, These Fabulous Photos May Surprise You

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#8 Bellevue Downtown Park, Bellevue, March 12, 1988

Bellevue Downtown Park, Bellevue, March 12, 1988

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What Bellevue looked like in the 1980s, These Fabulous Photos May Surprise You

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#9 Bellevue Downtown Park, Bellevue, March 12, 1988

Bellevue Downtown Park, Bellevue, March 12, 1988

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What Bellevue looked like in the 1980s, These Fabulous Photos May Surprise You

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#10 Bellevue High School football field, Bellevue, 1989

Bellevue High School football field, Bellevue, 1989

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What Bellevue looked like in the 1980s, These Fabulous Photos May Surprise You

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#11 Bellevue Multi-purpose center, Bellevue, Washington, 1980

Bellevue Multi-purpose center, Bellevue, Washington, 1980

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What Bellevue looked like in the 1980s, These Fabulous Photos May Surprise You

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#12 Bellevue Place and Hyatt Hotel, Bellevue, May 14, 1989

Bellevue Place and Hyatt Hotel, Bellevue, May 14, 1989

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What Bellevue looked like in the 1980s, These Fabulous Photos May Surprise You

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#13 Bellevue Place under construction, Bellevue, March 12, 1988

Bellevue Place under construction, Bellevue, March 12, 1988

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What Bellevue looked like in the 1980s, These Fabulous Photos May Surprise You

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#14 Bellevue Transit Center, Bellevue, February 15, 1987

Bellevue Transit Center, Bellevue, February 15, 1987

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What Bellevue looked like in the 1980s, These Fabulous Photos May Surprise You

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#15 Bellevue Way and NE 4th Street, Bellevue, February 15, 1987

Bellevue Way and NE 4th Street, Bellevue, February 15, 1987

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What Bellevue looked like in the 1980s, These Fabulous Photos May Surprise You

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#16 Bellevue Way at NE 8th Street, Bellevue, 1985

Bellevue Way at NE 8th Street, Bellevue, 1985

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What Bellevue looked like in the 1980s, These Fabulous Photos May Surprise You

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#17 Bellevue Way at NE 8th Street, Bellevue, 1989

Bellevue Way at NE 8th Street, Bellevue, 1989

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What Bellevue looked like in the 1980s, These Fabulous Photos May Surprise You

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#18 Bellevue Way, Bellevue, 1986

Bellevue Way, Bellevue, 1986

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What Bellevue looked like in the 1980s, These Fabulous Photos May Surprise You

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#19 Bellgate sculpture outside John Danz Theatre, Bellevue, May 14, 1989

Bellgate sculpture outside John Danz Theatre, Bellevue, May 14, 1989

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What Bellevue looked like in the 1980s, These Fabulous Photos May Surprise You

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#20 Exxon station, Bellevue, May 14, 1989

Exxon station, Bellevue, May 14, 1989

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What Bellevue looked like in the 1980s, These Fabulous Photos May Surprise You

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#21 Fire department hose tower, Bellevue, 1989

Fire department hose tower, Bellevue, 1989

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What Bellevue looked like in the 1980s, These Fabulous Photos May Surprise You

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#22 Intersection of NE 8th Street and 108th Avenue NE, Bellevue, February 15, 1987

Intersection of NE 8th Street and 108th Avenue NE, Bellevue, February 15, 1987

Designed by Bassetti & Morse. Hilltop is the second-oldest cooperative residential development in King County. It was established in 1947, founded by individuals who, after bypassing conventional real estate developers, planned a community that was founded on the desire to utilize principles of modern planning and architectural design to enhance the natural beauty of each home site and to make possible a sharing of benefits and opportunities among the members on as equal and democratic a basis as possible.

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What Bellevue looked like in the 1980s, These Fabulous Photos May Surprise You

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#23 Larry’s Market interior, Bellevue, 1989

Larry's Market interior, Bellevue, 1989

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What Bellevue looked like in the 1980s, These Fabulous Photos May Surprise You

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#24 Main Street businesses, Bellevue, February 15, 1987

Main Street businesses, Bellevue, February 15, 1987

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What Bellevue looked like in the 1980s, These Fabulous Photos May Surprise You

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#25 Main Street looking east, Bellevue, 1986

Main Street looking east, Bellevue, 1986

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What Bellevue looked like in the 1980s, These Fabulous Photos May Surprise You

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#26 NE 4th Street looking east, Bellevue, March 12, 1988

NE 4th Street looking east, Bellevue, March 12, 1988

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What Bellevue looked like in the 1980s, These Fabulous Photos May Surprise You

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#27 NE 8th Street and Bellevue Way, Bellevue, 1986

NE 8th Street and Bellevue Way, Bellevue, 1986

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What Bellevue looked like in the 1980s, These Fabulous Photos May Surprise You

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#28 NE 8th Street at 106th Avenue NE, Bellevue, February 15, 1987

NE 8th Street at 106th Avenue NE, Bellevue, February 15, 1987

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What Bellevue looked like in the 1980s, These Fabulous Photos May Surprise You

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#29 Road construction on NE 4th Street, Bellevue, March 12, 1988

Road construction on NE 4th Street, Bellevue, March 12, 1988

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What Bellevue looked like in the 1980s, These Fabulous Photos May Surprise You

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#30 Sequoia tree on corner of NE 8th Street and 106th Avenue NE, Bellevue, February 15, 1987

Sequoia tree on corner of NE 8th Street and 106th Avenue NE, Bellevue, February 15, 1987

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What Bellevue looked like in the 1980s, These Fabulous Photos May Surprise You

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#31 Shopping center on NE 8th Street, Bellevue, February 15, 1987

Shopping center on NE 8th Street, Bellevue, February 15, 1987

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What Bellevue looked like in the 1980s, These Fabulous Photos May Surprise You

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#32 Skid-steer loader clearing grounds for new Microsoft plant, Bothell, December 30, 1987

Skid-steer loader clearing grounds for new Microsoft plant, Bothell, December 30, 1987

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What Bellevue looked like in the 1980s, These Fabulous Photos May Surprise You

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#33 Uncle Harold’s Bike Shop, Bellevue, 1985

Uncle Harold's Bike Shop, Bellevue, 1985

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What Bellevue looked like in the 1980s, These Fabulous Photos May Surprise You

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#34 View east from Albertson’s parking lot, Bellevue, February 15, 1987

View east from Albertson's parking lot, Bellevue, February 15, 1987

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#35 View north from Cliff Place, Bellevue, 1986

View north from Cliff Place, Bellevue, 1986

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#36 Wallace & Wheeler Inc., Bellevue, 1985

Wallace & Wheeler Inc., Bellevue, 1985

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#37 Widening of NE 4th Street, Bellevue, March 12, 1988

Widening of NE 4th Street, Bellevue, March 12, 1988

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#38 Winchell’s Donut Shop and Tape Town, Bellevue, February 15, 1987

Winchell's Donut Shop and Tape Town, Bellevue, February 15, 1987

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What Bellevue looked like in the 1980s, These Fabulous Photos May Surprise You

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Written by Aung Budhh

Husband + Father + librarian + Poet + Traveler + Proud Buddhist. I love you with the breath, the smiles and the tears of all my life.

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