Vose Beaverton, OR

In 1868, a railroad connected a small western farming community to the big city of Portland. By 1893, the City of Beaverton was officially incorporated with a population of 400.

The little neighborhood of Vose received its name in 1960, at the same time that its local school, Vose Elementary, was built and named. The school is named after Annie Vose, an early local resident who began teaching in 1928 and subsequently dedicated over 30 years of her life to teaching students at the small neighborhood schoolhouse.

The Vose Neighborhood Association meets monthly to work on projects that improve the cultural and social identity of the neighborhood. In addition to an annual neighborhood picnic, the association works with other Beaverton neighborhood associations and the Beaverton Civic Theatre to host free plays in Schiffler Park.

Even within the small area of Vose's neighborhood borders, a good range of solid dining options await.

Sink your teeth into a charbroiled burger unlike any other at the famous Beaverton Char Burger on Southwest Allen Boulevard. The owner hand picks her ingredients to provide lean meat, fresh veggies and a tasty house sauce. Bring your kids and get them a hot dog, or order a garden burger for your vegetarian friend. Enjoy the low prices at this dive joint.

In the south of the neighborhood on Southwest Hall Boulevard, a diverse cluster of restaurants satisfies the ethnic tastes of Vose residents. Enjoy top-notch sushi and a pleasant atmosphere when you visit Banya Sushi, a popular local establishment with a reputation for some of the best service in town. When in the mood for a little spice, be sure to try the crunchy spicy salmon rolls, a new take on a classic favorite that features spicy salmon, jalapeños, and avocado, all deep-fried to perfection. Nearby, stuff yourself with endless nachos and bean dip at Si Senor, but try to save room for its famous fajitas. Top off your meal with an original margarita.

Stick around the area when darkness falls and check out the happy hour at The Fireside Grill, an upscale pub with a comforting neighborhood atmosphere. Choose from a unique range of well-crafted cocktails and roughly 20 microbrews on tap. Round out your drinks with the housemade chips and Gorgonzola sauce.

Take your dance night a couple blocks north of the neighborhood to one of the live-music bars in Central Beaverton, or head 15 minutes east to a club in downtown Portland.

A welcoming network of bike-friendly roads serve Vose cylists. Major neighborhood roadways with bike lanes include Southwest Hall Boulevard and Southwest Lombard Avenue, as well as Southwest Bel Aire Drive through the Fanno Creek Park.

Just blocks from Central Beaverton, Vose residents are conveniently placed to access the award-winning TriMet lightrail and bus routes that connect Beaverton to Portland. Within neighborhood borders, bus routes 76 and 78 have multiple stops all along Southwest Hall Boulevard, while routes 53 and 88 service the middle of Vose via Southwest Allen Boulevard. These streets also constitute the most walkable areas of the neighborhood.

Don't expect to hail a cab in Vose, but keep local taxi companies in your phone for quick and easy access to a ride wherever and whenever you need one. Enjoy Beaverton's extensive downtown parking options, including a free multi-level parking garage and multiple streets devoted to providing additional parking. Highway 217 borders the neighborhood on the east and also provides quick access to U.S Highway 26.

Despite their neighborhood's small size, residents of Vose enjoy access to a variety of refreshing green spaces.

With handicap accessible trails, a wooded area and its namesake creek, Vose's largest park, the Fanno Creek Park, constitutes the northern section of the Fanno Creek Greenway. The park includes a rural area suitable for exploration and a gazebo for public events. In the summer, the gazebo hosts neighborhood events such as public concerts and outdoor movie showings.

Host a summer barbecue amongst the mature trees in the open areas of Wonderland Park. Bring your kids to enjoy in the playground, and walk your dog on one of the many trails. In northwest Vose, the Elsie Stuhr Center provides a recreation facility, a fitness center, and a welcoming venue for activities such as dancing, pool, swimming, exercising, and arts and crafts.

You can afford to make your home in the intimate neighborhood of Vose with its cost of living 16 percent lower than that in Beaverton, and a full 20 percent lower than the average cost of living in Portland. Rent a one-bedroom residence in Vose for an average monthly rent of $706. Pay $2.50 to ride any combination of TriMet public transportation for 2.5 hours, including to Beaverton's or Portland's city centers. A beer at a local pub sets you back $3, while gas prices average 6 percent lower than the national average.

Migrate to the southeast corner of the neighborhood to take advantage of Vose's local shopping opportunities. Get your computer fixed or browse through a surplus of recycled electronics at EcoBinary, or outfit your home photography business with high quality material and packaging at Rice Studio Supply. Take the whole family for an affordable art lesson at My Masterpiece Art Studio, or do yourself a favor and invest in the kitchenware at Platinum Cookware for an easy and quality cooking experience like nothing else.

Located just past the northern border of Vose, the Beaverton Farmers Market in Central Beaverton takes place all year round and hosts live music events, shows and cooking demonstrations in addition to providing a venue for local growers to communicate with their buyers. Neighborhood grocery stores include Grocery Outlet and Albertsons, as well as the fresh local butcher shop La Nortena.