Columbia is a bustling city that continues to grow through it’s technological revolution. Let’s take a moment to familiarize ourselves with the 10 different villages that make Columbia the best place to live in the United States (Money Magazine 2018).
Hickory Ridge
Hickory Ridge’s first residents moved into the neighborhood of Hawthorn in 1973, others soon followed in the Clemens Crossing neighborhood. Their third and largest neighborhood, Clary’s Forest, was developed in the mid-1980’s. Since then, they have grown to 4,700 housing units and more than 13,000 residents making Hickory Ridge the second largest village in Columbia.
Wilde Lake
The Village of Wilde Lake is known as the “historic district” of Columbia. In 1967, ground was broken for Slayton House, the Swim Center, Wilde Lake Tennis Center and the Village Center to continue on the expansion of the area. Houses and apartments first emerged in the neighborhood of Bryant Woods. Wilde Lake now has a mix of housing, including single family homes, townhomes, condominiums and rental apartments. Additional neighborhoods in the Village are Faulkner Ridge and Running Brook. A prominent feature in the Village’s landscape is Wilde Lake.
Town Center
In the heart of Columbia, Town Center’s residents enjoy living in an urban community. Columbia’s Downtown consists of six neighborhoods, Amesbury Hill, Banneker, Creighton’s Run, Lakefront, Vantage Point, and Warfield. It contains Columbia’s most urban residential housing, while still maintaining a bit of suburban feel. Town Center is the downtown of Columbia, situated as the major commercial area.
Long Reach
Long Reach is the largest and one of the oldest of 10 villages. The village comprises four neighborhoods: Jeffers Hill, Kendall Ridge, Locust Park and Phelps Luck. From it’s start in 1971, it has grown to more than 17,000 people living in 6,108 households.
King’s Contrivance
The Village of King’s Contrivance houses about 11,000 residents and is the third largest of the villages that make up Columbia. In 1977, the first neighborhood, Macgill’s Common, was inhabited and the first village board was elected in April, 1978.
Owen Brown
Owen Brown is named for a postmaster and store owner. Mr. Owen Brown operated a store on what is now the intersection of Route 108 and Manor Lane. The name was initially just a working title for the development, but the name stuck. The Owen Brown Community Association was created in May of 1972 and the first residents moved into the Village in 1973. Owen Brown was the 5th village developed in Columbia. Owen Brown has three neighborhoods, each named for an original land tract. This village contains 144 Streets which have names taken from literature.
Oakland Mills
There are 9,900 residents of the village of Oakland Mills in Columbia, Maryland. Oakland Mills is comprised of three neighborhoods: Stevens Forest, Talbott Springs, and Thunder Hill.
Harper’s Choice
It lies in the northwest part of Columbia and consists of the neighborhoods of Longfellow, Swansfield, and Hobbit’s Glen and had a population of 8,695.
Dorsey’s Search
Dorsey’s Search mostly features midsize homes that are competitively priced. This community dates back to 1981 and has continued to develop over the years.
River Hill
The Village of River Hill is Columbia’s final village and is composed of two residential neighborhoods: Pheasant Ridge and Pointers Run. River Hill is located off of Route 108 in Clarksville. Prior to the start of residential construction, the village site was originally a game farm. James Rouse, Columbia’s founder, envisioned part of River Hill being set aside for recreation uses including a lake and ski slopes. After observing the mating flight of the American Woodcock in a field located off of Trotter Road, Mr. Rouse was convinced of the environmental value of the area and agreed to preserve a portion of the land. This land is what we now know to be the Middle Patuxent Environmental Area.
Check out our next blog about the top 5 Breweries near Columbia, MD!
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