Bellevue High School (Bellevue, Washington) - History

History

Bellevue High School's history can be traced back to 1923, when it first became an accredited four-year high school. Classes were held in a two-room school built in 1892 at the southeast corner of 100th Avenue and Main Street. It was at this location that The Beacon (the school annual) and The Barque (the student newspaper) began publication in 1925 and 1926, respectively.

From 1930 until 1949, the school was located on 102nd Avenue Northeast between Northeast 1st and 4th Streets, a site which is now part of Bellevue Downtown Park. The school was known as Overlake High School during part of this era. Bellevue's award-winning chapter of the Future Farmers of America formed an important part of student and community life until the area's rapid urbanization led to the chapter disbanding in 1950.

The high school moved once again in January 1949 to its current hilltop campus on Kilmarnock Street (renamed "Wolverine Way" as the result of a campaign led by the Class of 2000). The Bellevue Memorial Athletic Field opened on September 15 of the following year, dedicated to "the men and women of the Overlake area, living and dead, who faithfully served their country at home and abroad during World War II." The building underwent four major additions and renovations between 1952 and 1978. By the late 2000s, school officials felt that the heating and lighting systems, the Performing Arts Center, and the building in general were outdated; in June 2010, Bellevue High began a major construction project to address these concerns. By November 2012, the 1949 structure will be almost entirely demolished and replaced by a brand new building. The main gymnasium will remain standing, but will receive a significant upgrade.