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Roland Park Civic League Records

 Collection
Identifier: R0104-RPCL

  • Staff Only
  • Place requests at folder level.

Scope and Contents

This collection includes minutes, ledgers, blueprints, correspondence, membership cards, audit reports, payroll books of the Roland Park Civic League, incorporated in 1907. Notably, it contains the minutes of the Roland Park Civic League spanning the years 1955 and 1972, and of the Roland Park Roads and Maintenance Corporation dating between 1911 and 1973, with large gaps between 1953 and 1959. Blueprints and specifications document a significant number of houses and garages built or altered in the north Baltimore neighborhoods which were once served by the Roads and Maintenance Corporation. Please note: the collection does not span the original years of Roland Park, nor does it contain records of the Roland Park Company.

Dates

  • Creation: 1903-1978

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

To the extent that they own copyright, the donor has assigned the copyright of this collection to the University Foundation. However, copyright for some items in this collection are held by their respective creators.

Historical Note

The Roland Park Company, under the management of Edward H. Bouton, developed Roland Park in sections, building streets, laying water, sewer and electric lines, and selling property lots. The Company’s first architect was George Edward Kessler, who was succeeded in subsequent plats by Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr. Following the completion of Roland Park, the Company developed similar projects in Guilford, Homeland, Northwood, and the Orchards.

The Roland Park Covenants, among the first in the nation, were developed by Bouton to incorporate land-use restrictions and service fee requirements on each property deed. The fees, paid annually by property owners, covered the cost of lighting and street repair, garbage collection, and the maintenance and operation of the sewerage system. The Roland Park Civic League was established in 1895 and incorporated in 1907. The Civic League’s concerns included all aspects of the community, and it eventually succeeded to the Company’s Covenant rights and responsibilities.

The Roland Park Roads and Maintenance Corporation was incorporated in 1909 by the Roland Park Civic League and Company. The Corporation’s purpose is to collect mandated fees, provide mandated services, and otherwise enforce the Covenants. Beyond Roland Park, the Corporation carried out these duties for other communities covered by the Covenants.

Extent

10.92 Linear Feet (12 boxes)

1,641 Volumes (oversized portfolios of architectural plans)

Language of Materials

English

Arrangement

Collection is arranged in 7 series:

  • Administrative Records, 1909-1973
  • Roland Park Properties, 1903-1977
  • Guilford Properties, 1905-1982
  • Homeland Properties, 1921-1949
  • Roland Run Valley Properties, 1935-1958
  • Northwood Properties, 1930-1958
  • Orchards Properties, 1936-1967

Custodial History

The collection was donated to the University of Baltimore by Barbara M. Stevens in November 1980.

Related Materials

Related materials include the Roland Park Company records, MS 504, Special Collections, The Johns Hopkins University.

Processing Information

Arrangement and description work for the RPCL plans was completed by Benjamin Blake and Angela Koukoui between 2015 and 2016.

Title
Finding aid for the Roland Park Civic League Records
Author
Finding aid prepared by archives staff. Revised by Aiden Faust (2011). Revised Benjamin Blake (2015-2016). Revised by Laura Bell (2020-2022).
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the Baltimore Studies Archives Repository

Contact:
H. Mebane Turner Learning Commons, Room 104
1415 Maryland Avenue
Baltimore Maryland 21201 USA
410-837-4253