A time dependent two-dimensional numerical simulation of flow around a rectangular cylinder is conducted using a particular high order compact finite difference method. The current forth-order compact scheme is implemented for the simulation of flow around bluff bodies for the first time. This formulation offers a semiexplicit method for the solution of Navier-Stokes equations in stream function-vorticity form and based on a nine point difference scheme with uniform grid spacing. The main advantage of the suggested method is its fast convergence and high accuracy.The proposed numerical method combines the enhanced Fourni'e's forth order scheme with a semi-explicit formulation. By this combination, very accurate results can be obtained with a relatively coarse mesh in a short time. Uniform grids are applied with this high performance algorithm, and the accuracy of the scheme is proved using the benchmark problem of incompressible laminar flow around a rectangular cylinder at medium and high Reynolds numbers. Current results have good agreement with other numerical and experimental values. Generally, it is shown that, using the high order finite difference method demonstrates fairly competitive results for the current problem.