Country Club - Lincoln, NE

Around the time the Woods Brothers acquired the land upon which the neighborhood was built, the Lincoln Country Club was looking for property to build a larger facility. One particularly hilly parcel of land posed difficulties for the construction of homes, but Mark Woods knew it would be an excellent location for the new country club, and he sold the acreage to the Country Club, now the centerpiece of the neighborhood. The Boulevards Historic District includes two houses of worship and two schools.

In addition to all of the cultural activities in downtown Lincoln, the Country Club neighborhood has a museum of its own. Exhibits at the National Museum of Roller Skating highlight the people and artifacts that have contributed to the sport.

The Country Club Neighborhood Association sponsors numerous events, including the Annual Neighborhood Garage Sale in May, the Holiday Fun Run in December and the Fall Home Tour.

Although primarily residential, there are several restaurants that fall within the borders of the Country Club neighborhood. Considered one of the best spots for pizza in Lincoln, Piezanos lets diners choose from one of three crusts – regular medium, thick Sicilian or Neopolitan thin. Among the most popular of the specialty pies, the Chicken Tuscany comes topped with Italian seasoned chicken, tomatoes, green peppers and olives. The cozy restaurant also serves pasta, salads and calzones, but beware – the parking lot only has room for eight cars.

As both a college town and the state capitol, Lincoln features an abundance of nightlife options. However, only a few options sit within the boundaries of the Country Club neighborhood. The lounge at Henry’s on South has periodic special events such as wine tastings and live music. Grapevine, a prototypical neighborhood bar on Stockwell Street, has a mellow atmosphere, inexpensive drinks and well-liked bartenders.

Although the gently curved roads of the community are ideal for a delightful stroll, the neighborhood remains car dependent, because most errands cannot be accomplished on foot. For those who prefer two wheels, there are several bike-friendly streets in the neighborhood, including Sheridan Boulevard and Sewell and Lake streets. The Rock Island Trail, a 7-mile route that leads to the University of Nebraska campus, runs though both Bishop Heights and Memorial Parks on the eastern edge of the neighborhood.

Although most area residents drive to work, the City of Lincoln StarTran bus service operates two bus routes to downtown Lincoln with a commute time of only 15 minutes. The neighborhood has easy access to Route 34, which runs between Colorado and Iowa, and Route 2, the Nebraska Highway.

There are no parking garages or lots in the neighborhood, but the homes in the Country Club community have driveways, and the community permits on-street parking. For those who prefer ride sharing, a ride to downtown Lincoln via Uber costs between $4 and $6. While residents can’t hail a cab, they can call to utilize the services of the Happy Cab Company or Leisure Limo and Sedan.

The lush, green Country Club neighborhood includes three parks operated by the city of Lincoln. The largest, Memorial Park (also known as Antelope Park South) spans 26 acres of land along South 33rd Street. Bishop Heights Park, a 7-acre neighborhood park includes a playfield and playground equipment. The Rock Island Bike Trail runs through both parks en route to the Children’s Zoo to the north and Densmore Park to the south.

Often referred to as “Triangle Park” due to its shape, Pocras Park on Bradfield Drive and Sewell Street has a small playground ideal for young children. The park does not have bathroom facilities, but it does have a playfield and a charming gazebo with two picnic tables.

The Irving Recreation Center serves only students of the adjacent Irving Middle School until 5 p.m. each day; after 5 p.m. it opens to the public. In addition to a weight/fitness room, the center also has a summer camp and a wide variety of programs and activities for adults and children.

The cost of living in the Boulevards Historic District runs close to 6 percent higher than the cost of living in Lincoln. A one-bedroom apartment in the amenity-laden Country Club Apartment complex runs just $562. A ride on the bus to downtown Lincoln costs $1.75, and gas prices average 8 percent lower than the national average. Local bars charge around $3.25 for a bottle of domestic beer and $4 for an imported beer.

With the Gateway Mall only five miles north of the Country Club community, local residents have access to most of the popular chain stores. Shopping within the confines of the neighborhood proves a bit more challenging.

Since the fall of 2011, Lefty's Records has been keeping it old school, buying and selling new and used vinyl. Les Greer, owner and chief proprietor of Lefty's, loves to chat about music and show off the rare treasures he has unearthed. In addition to records, the shop also carries CDs, posters, cassette tapes and books. When it opened in 2006, Re-Cycled Bicycle sold used, vintage bikes. Since then, the store has tripled its space, selling new mountain bikes, cruisers, BMX bikes and more from brands including Marin, Electra and Surly. The shop also carries a large selection of common and hard-to-find repair parts.

Scenes from the movie "Terms of Endearment" were shot inside Leon's Gourmet Grocer, which has been in the neighborhood since 1952. Prices are a little on the high side, making it less than ideal for regular weekly grocery shopping, but the store carries a full line of products, including some hard-to-find brands and imports. The deli sells prepared foods and features a soup-of-the-day. If you are too busy to shop, Leon's does the shopping for you and delivers to your door for a small fee.

The Old Cheney Road Farmers Market operates from April until October. The market, located behind the Lincoln Racquet Club, features over 60 local vendors selling the freshest produce, artisan cheeses and breads, natural meats, and more.