Columbia, Maryland

Columbia is a census-designated place and planned community located in Howard County, Maryland. It began with the idea that a city could enhance its residents' quality of life. Creator and developer James W. Rouse saw the new community in terms of human values, not just in terms of economics and engineering. Opened in 1967, Columbia was designed to not only eliminate the inconveniences of then-current subdivision design, but also eliminate racial, religious, and income segregation.

Master Plan

To achieve the goals set forth by the Work Group, Columbia's Master Plan called for a series of ten self-contained villages, around which day-to-day life would revolve. The centerpiece of Columbia would be the Mall in Columbia and man-made Lake Kittamaqundi.

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Villages and Neighborhoods

The village concept is aimed to provide Columbia a small-town feel (like Easton, Maryland, where James Rouse grew up). Each village is comprised of several neighborhoods. The village center may contain middle and high schools. All have a shopping center, recreational facilities, a community center, a system of bike/walking paths, and homes. Four of the villages have interfaith centers, common worship facilities which are owned and jointly operated by a variety of religious congregations working together.

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Most of Columbia's neighborhoods contain single-family homes, townhomes, condominiums and apartments (though some are more exclusive than others). The original plan, following the neighborhood concept of Clarence Perry, would have had all the children of a neighborhood attend the same school, melding neighborhoods into a community and ensuring that all of Columbia's children get the same high-quality education.

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• Village - Neighborhoods (in rough order of opening)
• Wilde Lake - Bryant Woods, Faulkner Ridge, Running Brook, The Birches
• Harper's Choice - Longfellow, Swansfield, Hobbit's Glen
• Oakland Mills - Thunder Hill, Talbott Springs, Steven's Forest
• Long Reach - Phelps Luck, Jeffers Hill, Locust Park, Kendall Ridge
• Owen Brown - Dasher Green, Elkhorn, Hopewell
• Hickory Ridge - Clemens Crossing, Hawthorne, Clary's Forest,
• Dorsey's Search - Dorsey Hall, Fairway Hills
• King's Contrivance - Dickinson, Huntington, Macgill's Common
• River Hill - Pheasant Ridge, Pointers Run
• Town Center - Vantage Point, Banneker, Amesbury, Creighton's Run, and Warfield Triangle

The last village, River Hill, is currently being developed and growing fast. With the completion of River Hill, Columbia's residential development will be finished.

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