center (though some editions of Guinness incorrectly date it to 1896, when it was not yet a shopping center). Since it had only six stores, qualifying today as a strip mall, other, larger centers have received more recognition as “firsts”, such as Market Square in Lake Forest, Illinois (1916, the first uniformly planned neighborhood shopping center) and the Country Club Plaza (1923) in Kansas City, Missouri, the first uniformly-planned regional shopping center. Education The neighborhood is within the bounds of Baltimore City Public Schools and is assigned to Roland Park Elementary/Middle School, a K-8 school that earned the Blue Ribbon for Academic Excellence from the state department of education in 1997 and 1998. There are several private schools in the neighborhood: Friends School of Baltimore, Gilman School, Roland Park Country School, the Bryn Mawr School, Cathedral School, and Boys' Latin School of Maryland. In addition, St. Mary's Seminary and University is located in Roland Park. There is also a branch of the Enoch Pratt Free Library in Roland Park. Transportation The Baltimore Light Rail's Cold Spring Lane Station is to the west, within walking distance of much of the neighborhood, just across Falls Road and running alongside the Jones Falls Expressway. References External links , including undated photo, at Maryland Historical Trust, and accompanying map Community of Roland Park History of Roland Park Baltimore, Maryland, a National Park Service Discover Our Shared Heritage Travel Itinerary Historical Marker Database, Roland Park, includes photos Roland Park: Most Fashionable and Pretentious Suburb - Ghosts of Baltimore blog Neighborhoods in Baltimore Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Baltimore Baltimore City Landmarks