<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001181431-05-027015
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>2
<PERIOD>20050506
<FILING-DATE>20050510
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20050510
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>SAUL CENTERS INC
<CIK>0000907254
<ASSIGNED-SIC>6798
<IRS-NUMBER>521833074
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>MD
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>8401 CONNECTICUT AVE
<CITY>CHEVY CHASE
<STATE>MD
<ZIP>20815
<PHONE>3019866207
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>8401 CONNECTICUT AVE
<CITY>CHEVY CHASE
<STATE>MD
<ZIP>20815
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</ISSUER>
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>CHAPOTON JOHN E
<CIK>0001144844
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-12254
<FILM-NUMBER>05818219
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>BROWN INVESTMENT ADVISORY INCORPORATED
<STREET2>1737 H STREET, NW, FIFTH FLOOR
<CITY>WASHINGTON
<STATE>DC
<ZIP>20006
<PHONE>5033218541
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>BROWN INVESTMENT ADVISORY INCORPORATED
<STREET2>1717 H STREET, NW, FIFTH FLOOR
<CITY>WASHINGTON
<STATE>DC
<ZIP>20006
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>rrd78355.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2005-05-06</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000907254</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>SAUL CENTERS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>BFS</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001144844</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>CHAPOTON JOHN E</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>7501 WISCONSIN AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>15TH FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>BETHESDA</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MD</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>20814</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Shares</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2005-05-06</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>200</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>33.22</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>521.677</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Option</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>25.78</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2004-04-26</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2014-04-26</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>2500</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>2500</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Option</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>33.22</value>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2005-05-06</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>2500</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>33.22</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2005-05-06</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2015-05-06</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>2500</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>2500</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Phantom Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>194.969</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>2449.925</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Balance increased by April 29, 2005 Dividend Reinvestment Plan award of 3.815 shares.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">1 for 1</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Under the terms of the reporting person's Deferred Fee Agreement, payment of shares of the issuer's common stock commences at such time as the reporting person ceases to be a director of the issuer.  Payment will be a lump sum upon termination of directorship.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Includes 26.822 shares($32.3980/share) awarded January 31, 2005 as dividend reinvestments on shares of phantom stock held by the reporting person pursuant to the issuer's Deferred Compensation Plan under its 2004 Stock Plan and shares of phantom stock issued under the issuer's Deferred Compensation and Stock Plan for Directors.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Scott V. Schneider, by Power of Attorney</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2005-05-10</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>EX-24.
<SEQUENCE>2
<FILENAME>rrd66854_75285.htm
<DESCRIPTION>POWER OF ATTORNEY
<TEXT>
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>
rrd66854_75285.html
</TITLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
<PRE>
POWER OF ATTORNEY


KNOW ALL BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned hereby constitutes and appoints
Scott V Schneider, the undersigned?s true and lawful attorney-in-fact to:

	(1)	execute for and on behalf of the undersigned, in the undersigned?s capacity as a
director of Saul Centers, Inc. (the ?Company?), Forms 3, 4 and 5 in accordance with Section
16(a) of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules thereunder;

	(2) 	do and perform any and all acts for and on behalf of the undersigned which may
be necessary or desirable to complete and execute any such Form 3, 4, or 5, complete and
execute any amendment or amendments thereto, and timely file such form with the United States
Securities and Exchange Commission and any stock exchange or similarly authority; and

	(3) 	take any other action of any type whatsoever in connection with the foregoing
which, in the opinion of such attorney-in-fact, may be of benefit to, in the best interest of, or
legally required by, the undersigned, it being understood that the documents executed by such
attorney-in-fact on behalf of the undersigned pursuant to this Power of Attorney shall be in such
form and shall contain such terms and conditions as such attorney-in-fact may approve in such
attorney-in-fact?s discretion.

	The undersigned hereby grants to such attorney-in-fact full power and authority to do and
perform any and every act and thing whatsoever requisite, necessary, or proper to be done in the
exercise of any of the rights and powers herein granted, as fully to all intents and purposes as the
undersigned might or could do if personally present, with full power of substitution or
revocation, hereby ratifying and confirming all that such attorney-in-fact, or such attorney-in-
fact?s substitute or substitutes, shall lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue of this power of
attorney and the rights and powers herein granted.  The undersigned acknowledges that the
foregoing attorney-in-fact, in serving in such capacity at the request of the undersigned, is not
assuming, nor is the Company assuming, any of the undersigned?s responsibilities to comply
with Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

	This Power of Attorney shall remain in full force and effect until the undersigned is no
longer required to file Forms 3, 4, and 5 with respect to the undersigned?s holdings of and
transactions in securities issued by the Company, unless earlier revoked by the undersigned in a
signed writing delivered to the foregoing attorneys-in-fact.

	IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Power of Attorney to be
executed as of this 23rd day of September, 2004.



						Signature:	/s/ The Honorable John E. Chapoton
						Name:		The Honorable John E. Chapoton

</PRE>
</BODY>
</HTML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
