About Us
The Village of Kings Contrivance houses about 11,000 residents and is the third largest of the nine villages plus Town Center that make up Columbia. In 1977, the first neighborhood, Macgill's Common, was inhabited and the first Village Board was elected in April, 1978.
What is the Kings Contrivance Community Association?
It is a not-for-profit corporation that supports a range of services for the residents of our village. All residents 18 years or older are members of the Association. We elect a Village Board of Directors that establishes Association policies. We also elect a village representative to the Columbia Council that directs the Columbia Association. The Board hires a Village Manager to oversee the day to day operations of the Village. Residents of Columbia pay an annual assessment to the Columbia Association that funds a portion of the money used to run the Association.
Mission Statement:
The association represents the community of Kings Contrivance by
advocating for residents, enforcing covenants, and building a sense of community.
What does the Kings Contrivance Community Association do for you?
- Represents Kings Contrivance in areas of interest and concern to our residents.
- Administers the Kings Contrivance Covenants that govern the exterior appearance of properties in the Village.
- Provides information and referral services, as well as support for community activities and interests.
- Sponsors a range of programs, special events, and classes.
- Provides space for meetings and functions at Amherst House and The Meeting Room.
Village Newsletter
The Crown Prints, our village newsletter, is published twice a month. The first issue of each month is direct mailed to each home in the village. The second issue of each month is sent by email. All issues are also posted on our website, and on Facebook ( Kings Contrivance Village). Never miss an issue! Scroll to the bottom of this page and sign up to receive all issues to your inbox!
History
the Reverend James Macgill, the first rector of Christ Church located on Oakland Mills Road. An 18th century residence built on the property burned down and was rebuilt in the 19th century. That house was the boyhood home of Howard County Circuit Court Judge James Macgill. It was converted to a restaurant in 1962. The restaurant gave the village its name.
Macgill's Common, the village's first neighborhood, was named for the Reverend Macgill on whose farm it rests. The streets in the neighborhood take their names from "The Folk Songs of North America," compiled by Alan Lomax, an American folklorist.
The name of the Huntington neighborhood is from Huntington Quarter, and original land grant patented to Henry Ridgely Sr. 
and Henry Ridgely Jr. in 1696 for 259 acres. The street names in Huntington are taken primarily from the works of Carl Sandburg. Some names come from the works of two 19th century poets, Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman.
Dickinson is the first neighborhood in Columbia named for a woman, 19th century American
poet Emily Dickinson. Its street names are taken from her work.
Amherst House, the lovely community center and home of the Kings Contrivance Community Association, is in the Dickinson neighborhood and was named for the home of Emily Dickinson, Amherst, Massachusetts.
Contact us
If you have any questions about guidelines, rentals, or just living in Columbia feel free to send us a message.