Landover-Sharmel - Vancouver, WA

Led by British Captain George Vancouver, European settlers established a fur-trading outpost for the Hudson's Bay Company at Fort Vancouver in 1824. The land was occupied jointly by Britain and the United States until 1846 when the 49th parallel was chosen as the US-Canada border. Fort Vancouver was on American soil. More settlers arrived and further developed the land and expanded the boundaries of the Vancouver area.

In the 1970s, Landover-Sharmel experienced a building surge that doubled the existing number of houses in the neighborhood, but the real housing boom occurred in the 1990s when the number of houses doubled again. Residential construction remained strong throughout the following decade. The artifacts and full-scale replica at Fort Vancouver National Historical Site stand as testament to the area's beginnings. Visitors are taken back in time as history is told through re-enactments, costumed tours and hands-on activities during the site's seasonal events.

The neighborhood doesn't support a lot of eateries, and most of those can be found in the Four Seasons area. Locals don't have to go far to expand their choices and indulge in Mexican, Asian or American cooking depending on their moods and cravings.

You can expect a small menu, modest decor and good food at Kim's Grill. Locals go back for the chicken bento over rice with teriyaki and sweet chili sauce and the vegetable-rich yaki u-don. It can get busy at lunchtime — you can't beat the $5.95 lunch special.

Burger Bungalow serves deep-fried delicacies, fish and chips, and a variety of gourmet burgers made from local organic beef. Try the island-style O'ahu burger with provolone, pineapple and teriyaki, or take on the open-face Philly cheese steak loaded with beef, onions, peppers and gooey cheese. You may want to come back often enough to make your way through the whole menu. Just beyond the eastern edge of the neighborhood, Los Pepe's Restaurant serves up south-of-the-border meals that are spicy for your taste buds and mild for your wallet. Local favorites include the fiery, cheesy and golden-crisp chilli rellenos and the shrimp and beef molcajete. You can balance out the heat of the food with a refreshing, frosty margarita. Just minutes away to the north of the neighborhood, Charlie's Sports Bar & Grill serves drinks and eats for an evening out with friends or an afternoon watching the football game.

When locals want a rousing night of clubs, pubs and concerts, they make the 20-minute drive to downtown Portland for its vibrant nightlife.

Overall, Landover-Sharmel doesn't have the close proximity to amenities that defines a walkable neighborhood, but residents who live close to Four Seasons can go on foot to pick up groceries or dine out. For running errands, most locals drive, and shopping areas provide lots of free parking.

C-TRAN serves the city with bus routes that run north-south at the eastern border along NE 138th and east-west at the northern border along NE 28th. From downtown, you can connect to western neighborhoods or grab the express bus for a trip to Portland.

This may not be the best district to hail a cab, but you can easily phone ahead to book taxi service or use your smartphone app to reserve a ride with Uber.

Landover-Sharmel residents enjoy a good location for quick and easy highway access. Just minutes away, I-205 takes locals south to Portland Airport or north for a connection with I-5 and a trip to the Canadian border. Nearby SR-14 gets residents downtown in fewer than 15 minutes.

For cyclists and bike commuters, dedicated bike lanes run around most of the neighborhood's perimeter, and a central bike-friendly route dissects the area from north to south.

Landover-Sharmel residents enjoy green space options. They can visit their own neighborhood park or make the short trip to one of the major city parks in adjacent communities.

Located next to the elementary school, Endeavor Neighborhood Park provides locals with 12.5 acres of paths, play areas and green space. You can get a workout by jogging, cycling or walking your dog on the trails, and the kids can burn off energy by climbing and sliding on the playground equipment.

In 5 minutes, locals can get to the 30-acre LeRoy Haagen Park to have fun at the basketball court, sports field and sheltered picnic area, and in 10 minutes, Fido can be running loose off-leash at Dakota Memorial Dog Park.

For summertime fun, take the whole family to LeRoy Haagen Park or Esther Short Park for outdoor movies. Movie nights are free events just bring your own chairs, blankets and popcorn.

With a cost of living that comes in nearly 4 percent lower than the Vancouver average, Landover-Sharmel takes care of your bottom line. The average rental rate is about $976 per month, but you can find a one-bedroom unit with ensuite washer and dryer and communal pool and fitness center for $835. If you plan to hop on the bus for a trip downtown, put aside $1.75, and if you want to raise a beer to the Seahawks, expect to pay about $5 at the pub. Distribution costs drive up the price of gas on the West Coast, so expect to pay about 12 percent more than the national average at the pump in this neighborhood.

Most of Landover-Sharmel's commercial activity takes place at the Four Seasons shopping area in the neighborhood's northwest corner, but a few businesses operate elsewhere in the district. You can have your car detailed at RUSSOwerkz in the east, or you can choose a flooring upgrade at Magnificent Hardwood in the south central area. At Fiddlesticks Quilt Shop, you can take classes, buy fabrics, notions and patterns, and have your quilt finished on a longarm quilting machine. Throughout the year, the store sponsors sewing socials that bring neighbors and quilters together to have fun and develop their sewing skills. Buy, rent, sell or trade in your unwanted movies, video games and entertainment items at Gameplay & Movies Central. You can find new releases or classic favorites at affordable prices, and you can have your gaming console cleaned or repaired to keep you ready to play for the win. Safeway supplies the neighborhood with groceries. You can shop in the store until 1:00 a.m. daily, or you can shop online at any time and have your groceries delivered. Nothing beats Vancouver Farmers Market at Esther Short Park, and locals gladly make the trek downtown to this seasonal weekly market for the fresh produce, prepared foods and musical entertainment.