Blog

We love seeing community happen in so many CA spaces, and the Downtown Columbia Lakefront is definitely one of our favorites 💚💙. It’s home to the iconic People Tree, Lakefront Live, Festive Fridays and countless memorable moments.

For more than 50 years, CA has been proud to care for this space year-round, investing in the Lakefront and the community it brings together. Shout-out to the Columbia Maryland Archives for being an incredible resource and sharing the history of the Lakefront and its legacy as a source of community pride.

Lakefront milestones 

3 facts about the People Tree 

If you’ve been to the Lakefront, chances are you’ve spotted this iconic landmark – or perhaps even danced under it!

Extra, extra! Read all about it

Check out clippings from Columbia Today, the internal newsletter of the Rouse Company, from the early days of the Lakefront.

This clipping from spring 1966 outlines the proposed landscape design of the Lakefront and Wilde Lake Village.

This clipping from winter 1966 discusses CA and its role in Columbia as “an efficient means of operation and maintenance of them [facilities and open space]”.

This clipping from winter 1967 discusses the construction of Lake Kitt and shows an early photograph.

To learn more about the history of Columbia and CA, explore the Columbia Maryland Archives.

To learn more about improvements coming to the Lakefront in 2026, visit columbiaassociation.org/CAlakefront.