History of the Mercer Slough will be presented from 7-9 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 19 as the first in the Heritage Series for 2009.

The free presentation will be at the Mercer Slough Environmental Education Center.

The Mercer Slough was a staging ground for the 1856 “Battle of Seattle” between the Native Americans and the European-American settlers.

Using photos and historic documents from the Eastside Heritage Center’s collections, archivist Megan Carlisle will explore the history of Mercer Slough and its influence on Bellevue.

For more information, contact the Eastside Heritage Center at 425.450.1049 or visit www.eastsideheritagecenter.org.