Bagley Downs - Vancouver, WA

Bagley Downs came to be as an expansion of the Fort Vancouver fur-trading post established in 1824, and it shares its short history with many Vancouver neighborhoods. Only 41 houses were built in the area prior to 1939, but the district began to keep pace with the city's growth from the 1940s onward. The neighborhood's development peaked in the 1970s and 1980s when 700 homes were built. Locals don't have their own museum, but they can reach Fort Vancouver National Historic Site in 10 minutes. This national park celebrates Vancouver's early history with a fort replica that takes visitors back in time to the original settlement of the city. Lantern tours with costumed guides bring the past to life.

Locals head downtown for annual events such as Vancouver Brewfest and the Independence Day fireworks, and they make the short trip to Portland to enjoy the city's renowned arts scene.

Fast-food eateries mix with sit-down restaurants along the commercial strip of NE Fourth Plain. Pizza Hut, Subway, Dairy Queen and Taco Bell compete for the quick-serve customers, while Vietnamese, Mexican and Hawaiian restaurants invite leisurely diners.

Locals single out Pho Ton as a Vancouver and Portland favorite for Vietnamese food, and they go on and on about the pho. You get a big bowl of flavorful broth full of tender meat and rice noodles, and the portion is generous enough that you may have to take some home. Vegetarian options include plump salad rolls and tofu fried rice.

Don Pedro Mexican Restaurant serves up a spicy selection of tacos, burritos, quesadillas and other Mexican delights. Locals rave about the fresh-cooked flavors, reasonable prices and generous servings, and in particular, they call out the legendary bacon-and-sausage breakfast burritos.

Get a taste of the islands complete with a scoop of macaroni salad at the Hawaiian Style Grill. Local favorites include the slow-roasted Kahlua pork and the Mauna Loa chicken in spicy lava sauce. You can get both dishes on a mix plate with the usual scoops of rice and mac.

The QuarterDeck Bar provides the local late-night entertainment for Bagley Downs residents. Dance music, pool tables and karaoke draw crowds to this boisterous bar for drinks and bites until 2 a.m. You can enjoy whiskey specials on Whiskey Wednesdays and all-night happy hour for ladies on Thirsty Thursdays.

For concerts and clubbing, locals visit downtown venues or drive cross the Columbia to enjoy Portland's nightlife.

Bagley Downs is somewhat walkable, especially for residents who live close to the NE Fourth Plain retailers, but the sprawling nature of the neighborhood design makes car travel the most common transportation option. Businesses provide lots of free parking for their driving customers. With connections to nearby I-5 and I-205, residents can easily make short hops to Portland or long trips to the Canadian border.

If you want someone else to drive, you can use your smartphone to book a ride with Uber or call Broadway Cab for taxi service. C-TRAN runs bus service at the neighborhood's southern edge along NE Fourth Plain. For cyclists, bike-friendly NE Stapleton and Nicholson run north-south and east-west through the neighborhood, and a scenic bike trail winds alongside Burnt Bridge Creek.

Bagley Downs residents enjoy cost-free access to a community park, a neighborhood park and a border of green space on the west side along the meandering path of Burnt Bridge Creek.

Centrally located Bagley Community Park provides 16 acres of green space for team sports, kids' play, picnics and walks. You can enjoy league play at one of the three baseball diamonds, turn the kids loose for squealing fun on the playground equipment or tire out Fido with a walk or jog on the trails. According to park rules, dogs must be leashed.

Residents of the district's eastern end enjoy outdoor fun at The Downs neighborhood park. Kids typically head for the slides and climbing equipment, but they can also kick a soccer ball or play catch on the grassy areas of this 3.5-acre park.

Esther Short Park is Vancouver's chosen location for outdoor community events. Bagley Downs locals make the quick trip downtown during the warm summer months for concerts in the park and movies under the stars.

With a cost of living that comes in 3 percent below the Vancouver average, Bagley Downs takes the bite out of daily and monthly expenses. A one-way trip to downtown costs $1.75 on a C-TRAN bus, and a pint of beer costs about $5.

Affordable housing costs are a plus for a district that's not far from the city center, and this neighborhood has an average rental rate of $671 per month. Due to distribution costs, gas prices are typically higher on the west coast. Expect to pay about 12 percent more than the national average when you gas up at the pump.

Most commercial activity in Bagley Downs spreads out along the NE Fourth Plain corridor with a concentration of retailers in the Vancouver Market Center. The range of goods and services allows residents to pick up steel-toed boots at Red Wing Shoes or redecorate their home with the help of furniture store Vancouver Woodworks. For sewers and students of sewing, Just For Fun Quilting sells fabrics, notions and patterns, and offers instruction in the art of quilting. Classes include the basics for beginners, more advanced techniques such as machine applique and mitred corners, and for a small fee and a potluck snack, "quilt 'til you wilt" social events. If you want to stock up on top-notch supplies for your precious pet, check out Family Pet Supplies in Vancouver Market Center. You can find tough chew-toys for dogs, treats for cats, supplies for small animals and birds and a good selection of organic foods. Grocery Outlet on NE Fourth Plain supplies the neighborhood with a changing inventory of discount groceries. The local Bi-Mart department store also carries a selection of grocery items. Although Bagley Downs doesn't have its own farmers market, it sits only 10 minutes away from the Vancouver Farmers Market that runs from spring to fall in Esther Short Park.