On any given day, Thomas Lehner can observe an abundance of wildlife from his 1.75-acre property -- from deer to nesting turtles, from snakes to several species of birds. In describing his land, people would assume Lehner lives in one of the bucolic suburbs of Baltimore County -- say Sparks, Long Green or Granite.

Better, says Lehner, he lives next to the water in Bowleys Quarters.

"It's still really very wooded and it gives you a feeling of isolation. It has a very nice rural feel to it," said Lehner, who moved to his waterfront home about eight years ago. "My wife and I lived in a rehab in upper Fells Point with the idea of always having a waterfront [home]. It was our long-range plan that worked out."

Lehner, president of the Bowleys Quarters Improvement Association for the past two years, chose the location after looking at several other waterfront communities.

"We looked around at a lot of areas. We were looking for something with a yard. This property was originally classified as a water view because it was on marsh land, so it was a good price. We got the permits and put in a pier and had it reclassified as a waterfront," Lehner said.

"The houses are spread out here. You do meet your neighbors, but not like the suburbs where you are right on top of one another. And it's not a transient neighborhood, and that's what we were looking for. We are always impressed when we meet people that have lived here their whole lives."

Fred Conrad, who owns a recreational park called Conrad's Ruth Villa and the Parkside Marina, is one such person. Conrad has lived in Bowleys Quarters since 1931.

"It's a great neighborhood. The people are down to earth. We don't have a lot of snobs here, even though we have a lot of rich people with shore homes," Conrad said.

"There's enough country around to feel like you're out in the suburbs. And its great because it's a nice place to live and also a nice place to visit. The water is a strong attraction, but we have other strong attractions beyond the water."

Conrad's family originally ran a restaurant that existed until World War II when gas and food rationing killed the business. From there, he drifted into the catering business and opened up his waterfront park for company picnics and other events. Just last year the Parkside Marina opened.

"The neighborhood has changed a lot. It was a farming community in what they used to call 'the sticks.' The houses were mostly shore homes that people lived in just during the summertime."

Bowleys Quarters is a Middle River peninsula bordered by Eastern Boulevard, Carroll Island Road, Seneca Creek, Frog Mortar Creek, Galloway Creek and the Chesapeake Bay.

The area was originally settled by Daniel Bowley, a sea captain and merchant, in the mid-1700s. Bowley owned nearly 2,000 acres around Baltimore, including what became known as Bowleys Quarters and was used to "quarter" his slaves.

Hunter presidents

The property was eventually turned into a game preserve where goose, pheasant and ducks were hunted. Famous visitors to the pristine hunting grounds included President Grover Cleveland and President Benjamin Harrison. In 1907, the property was sold as a vacation spot, and in the 1920s summer homes were developed along the waterfront.

The homes today range from $300,000 waterfronts to townhouses under $100,000. In between are ranchers, bungalows, Cape Cods and Colonials. Many of the original one- and two-room bungalows have been transformed into modern three- and four-bedroom homes.

Bowleys Quarters is still on well and septic. And with the failure of some wells in the area, the county has declared temporary limits on development in certain environmentally sensitive sections of Bowleys Quarters.

The development controls were needed to limit access to new sewers being installed. The county planning board is expected to draft a more permanent plan for addressing future growth.

Yet the water remains the main attraction.

"Bowleys Quarters is well known for the waterfronts. The water is deep, and they never have a problem with having to dredge," said Jo Ann Folk, an agent with Coldwell Banker Grempler Realty.

"It's also a very good area for first-time buyers because once they get down there, they don't want to leave," Folk added. "The value of the homes holds very well down there. You're getting your money's worth when you buy in Bowleys Quarters."

The attraction of waterfront activities, the convenience of being close to the Baltimore Beltway, plus houses in just about every price range keep the area attractive, says Folk.

"You have a lot to choose from. You have ranchers, contemporaries, split-levels -- you name it, you got it. People are always looking for the relaxed atmosphere and you get that in Bowleys Quarters year-round. But you also have easy access to Route 702 and the beltway. So everything is right there for them and yet it's out of the hustle and bustle of other neighborhoods," Folk said.

Grew up there

One couple that grew up in Bowleys Quarters and decided to stay and raise their family is Scott and Dana Dengler. With two young children, the Denglers wanted to give them the experience of waterfront living.

"Some of my best memories are being on the water and canoeing and swimming. I wanted that for my children. And all of our family is right here," said Dana Dengler. "Just about everybody we know lives on the water. They will stop at our pier to say, 'Hi.' A lot of people come in by water, so we have more company than you would have if you didn't live on the water."

A waterfront house isn't necessary to enjoy all the activities the area has to offer. Other amenities include several marinas, boat ramps, fishing areas and restaurants. There's also Miami Beach, a 400-foot-wide sandy beach on the Chesapeake Bay bordered by a 60-acre park, nature trail and picnic pavilion. And Bengies Drive-In Theatre, one of two left in the state, is in Bowleys Quarters.

"There's a lot to do here. It's a nice community," said James Welzenbach, who has lived in Bowleys Quarters and been a member of the volunteer fire department since 1979.

"The fire department is one of the centers of the community. We have crab feasts, bull roasts and Saturday night dances. Usually 400 to 500 people come out for it," Welzenbach said.

The closeness of the community and waterfront living is what keeps many people from moving away, according to Welzenbach.

"People in the townhouses will sometimes move off when they can afford a single-family [detached] home. But the people that are going to spend the money on a shore home, they are going to stay. A lot of people on the shore have really done great in fixing them up and have really raised the property value."

The influx of development in the past 20 years has some worried that water quality in the area has suffered, says Byron Livingston, who moved into Bowleys Quarters in 1956:

"It was wonderful when we first moved here. It's still peaceful, but the water quality has gone. There's a marina across from me now and we have been fighting for water and sewer for years."

Bowleys Quarters

ZIP code: 21220

Commuting time to downtown Baltimore: 20 minutes

Public schools: Seneca Elementary, Chase Elementary, Middle River Middle, Stemmers Run Middle, Kenwood High, Eastern Technical

Shopping: Carroll Island Shopping Center Homes on market: 16

Average listing price: $228,085*

Average sales price: $217,021*

Average days on market: 66*

Sales price as percentage of listing price: 95%*

*Based on 14 sales in the past 12 months as recorded by the Metropolitan Regional Information System.