Kevanna Park - Vancouver, WA

European settlers arrived and began the development of the Vancouver area in 1824. Fort Vancouver was originally a fur-trading post. Population and territorial growth naturally followed the installation of a military base and the development of the shipbuilding industry. Land development gradually spread from the downtown core to the outlying districts, and although a few homes were built in Kevanna Park prior to 1940, the large majority of building was completed between 1970 and 2000.

Established in 1853, Esther Short Park is Washington's oldest public square, and it continues to be the meeting place for community events. Kevanna Park residents join the crowd downtown for the annual Vancouver Wine and Jazz Festival, where local musicians and artists are showcased.

Locals take their kids to the replica fort of the fur-trading post at Fort Vancouver National Historic Site for an educational taste of history.

This small neighborhood has only a few places to grab a bite to eat. A flurry of fast food restaurants coexist just beyond the northern boundary, where Wendy's, Subway, McDonald's, Dairy Queen, Starbucks and KFC line up side-by-side like an outdoor food court. Fortunately for Kevanna residents, two of Vancouver's standout eateries can be reached by car in seven minutes. Hudson's Bar & Grill on NE Greenwood Drive serves breakfast, lunch and dinner with daily happy hours and evening musical entertainment. The open lodge-style décor with a big rock-framed fireplace creates a comfortable environment for dining or kicking back with a few drinks. During Hudson's Hour, bites include sizzling forest mushrooms cooked in garlic and sherry butter sauce, and pints of beer go for $3.50.

Generations of barbecuing experience make menu" Daddy D's BBQ on Fourth Plain Boulevard a BBQ must. You get fast service from friendly staff and sweet-and-tangy southern-style BBQ sauce on tender, juicy meat. Try the two-meat combo plate to savor the brisket and pulled pork. Don't expect to be wowed by the décor. This eatery consists of tables set up in a gas station, but it still gets five-star ratings. You can shoot pool, play darts and watch the big game at Charlie's Sports Bar and Grill on NE 112th in Kevanna Park. With its solid menu, a good selection of draft beers and numerous TVs showing games and replays, you can eat, drink and discuss the Seahawks well into the night.

You won't find concerts, pubs and nightclubs in the Kevanna Park district, but you won't have far to go for nightlife. Locals looking for bright lights and excitement can visit adjoining neighborhoods or head into Portland for numerous entertainment offerings.

Although the streets are tranquil and the houses are landscaped with trees and shrubs, Kevanna Park does not rate highly for walkability because of the lack of commercial activity in the area. Residents typically go outside the neighborhood for work and errands, and most people get around by car. Drivers have easy access to State Route 500 at the district's northern edge and I-205 along the western edge. You can hop on SR-500 and join I-5 northbound for a trip to Seattle, or take I-205 south to Portland Airport.

You'll find parking spaces at the few retailers in the district, and visitors can expect free street parking within the neighborhood.

If you don't want to drive, you can call Broadway Cab for taxi service, tap your app for a ride with Uber or use the public bus system. The neighborhood is serviced by C-TRAN, with bus routes running along the eastern edge on NE 112th and along the southern border on NE Burton.

There are several bike-friendly roads within the community, and dedicated bike lanes heading east on NE 49th and west toward downtown on NE Burton.

Although a belt of green space follows the path of the Burnt Bridge Creek, the neighborhood's only public park is Kevanna Park, for which it is named. This five-acre gem provides playground equipment for kids' fun, trees for shade and walkways and benches for peaceful relaxation. Residents don't have to go far to enjoy larger parks with more amenities. The 33-acre Orchards Community Park sits on the other side of SR-500 just outside the neighborhood's northern boundary. Locals can get there in five minutes to enjoy sheltered picnic areas, playground equipment for kids, grassy fields for team sports and wooded trails for walks and jogs. In partnership with the Dog Owners Group for Park Access in Washington (DOGPAW), Vancouver has developed five dog parks. Dakota Memorial Dog Park at Pacific Community Park is a five-minute drive from the Kevanna Park neighborhood. You can set your dog free for an energy-burning run in this eight-acre green space and clean up dirty paws at the rinse station before taking your tired and contented pooch home for a nap. In the summer, residents drive downtown to historic Esther Short Park for free concerts and Friday night outdoor movies. In the winter, this downtown park draws crowds of visitors for the lighting of the Christmas tree.

With a cost of living that comes in at 5.4 percent less than the Vancouver average, Kevanna Park residents can keep more of their money in their wallets. The fare on C-TRAN buses for the trip downtown is only $1.75; an unlimited-use monthly pass costs $61. A pint of beer at a nearby pub will set you back about $5.

The average monthly rental rate of $782 for a one-bedroom apartment makes housing costs reasonable in this neighborhood. You can get a 700-square-foot one-bedroom apartment with ensuite washer and dryer and access to a fitness center, pool and spa for $835 a month.

You'll pay a little more at the pump in this neighborhood. The price of gas is approximately 11 percent more than national average.

Not known as a shopper's paradise, the Kevanna Park neighborhood supports very little retail activity, but it sits only five minutes away from southwest Washington's largest shopping center. At Westfield Vancouver Mall, you can choose a selection of bulk sweets at Candy Tyme, find trendy women's clothing and accessories at Etiquette or sit back and enjoy a pedicure at Sassy's Nails. If you need more retail therapy, you can drive to Portland for no-tax shopping.

Kevanna Park retailers cater to a more commercial clientele. VM Garden Supply stocks hydroponic equipment and supplies and does consultations for installation. Woodfeathers Roofing Materials carries shakes, shingles and metal roofing for home owners and home builders. First Aid Only produces emergency preparedness kits for individual and corporate use. For grocery shopping, Safeway sits just outside the neighborhood's southern boundary. In addition to bakery, deli and liquor departments, this location houses a Starbucks and a Redbox movie and game rental kiosk.

Residents wouldn't miss Washington State's second-largest farmers market, and they gladly make the short trip to Esther Short Park in the heart of the city to shop there from March to October.