Lincoln Park, Pomona, CA

Peacocks wander the lawns of Lincoln Park, a flock that has become part of daily life in this north Pomona neighborhood of old houses and big street trees. Much of it sits inside the Lincoln Park Historic District, which runs from Garey Avenue to Towne Avenue and from Pasadena Street up to McKinley Avenue. The houses are the reason people come looking. North of McKinley, toward Arrow Highway, the streets sit outside the historic boundary and the housing gets plainer. Lincoln Park itself, the small park at the center of the district, is where neighbors walk dogs in the evening. Ted Greene Park and Pomona Jaycees Community Park cover the northern blocks. The Pomona Ebell Museum of History on East Holt Avenue belongs to the local historical society, though it is closed for restoration for now. Food runs along the edges. Donahoo's Golden Chicken on North Garey has been frying hand-battered chicken for about 70 years and this is its biggest location. Lynda's Restaurant on East Holt is a Salvadoran spot for pupusas, and Karajillo Coffee shares a Commercial Street address with Sanctum Brewing on the south side, where the neighborhood reaches toward downtown. Errands are simple. Stater Bros. sits on North Garey, Cardenas Markets is on East Holt, and a Walmart Neighborhood Market anchors the Arrow Highway strip. Most people drive, but downtown and the Metrolink station are close enough to bike. Old houses bring old-house work. Original windows, aging plumbing and historic-district review for exterior changes are part of owning here, and Garey and Holt carry steady traffic past the edges. Spend a Sunday on the home tour and you will see how much care owners put into these porches and gardens.