The sparkling lake has been a gift to the generations. Pine Lake Country Club began as a treasured rustic destination for Automobile Club of Detroit road tours in the early 1900s. By 1910, the clubhouse on Pine Lake had become a scenic refuge for members that included automotive pioneers and leaders of government and industry. Families joined for fresh air and recreation, swimming and boating. Sailing regattas on the lake grew to be as popular as road tours. The club changed its name to Pine Lake Country Club in 1921 and, on added property, opened an 18-hole golf course in 1924.

It was a time of exciting change, as the first automobiles tangled with horses and trolley cars in the streets and countryside. On June 23, 1902 a group of leading businessmen and industrialists came together at the Detroit Club to form the Automobile Club of Detroit promoting automobiles, roadway development, and the thrill of “motoring.” Auto tours in southeast Michigan became major events for members and tests of endurance for early automobiles. A favorite destination was the rural lake region of Oakland County, and within a few years drivers rested overnight at a new clubhouse on scenic Pine Lake.