In 1935 the Pine Woods Corporation started selling tiny 20' x 100' lots for $69.95. In addition to the lake itself, there were many amenities advertised, such as docks, diving boards, a bath house, and play ground. The development was marketed as a resort for folks from the greater Atlanta area to escape the “Big City.” By1937 this development was incorporated as a city. During its first decade, the city consisted of tents, trailers and a few one-room cabins, with wells and outdoor plumbing.
Over time, the tents and trailers became cabins. Then with two or three lots combined into one and a room or two added to the tiny cabin, homes began to emerge. City water, sewer, and gas lines were run, and more and more property owners began to live in the city all year round.
Pine Lake today is an incorporated city in the middle of mostly unincorporated south Dekalb County. The city lies about 12 miles east of downtown Atlanta, just off Rockbridge Road. It has an elected mayor and council, a city hall, police force, and court. With a population of around 750 and a total land area of less than .25 square miles, it is the smallest city in Dekalb County. Many people who drive by on Rockbridge Road every day have no idea Pine Lake even exists.
Aerial Photo Early 1930’s, looking northward. Shows the grid pattern of the streets on the South side of the lake. Rockbridge Road is visible along the bottom of the picture.
Many thanks to Dallas Denny, a former long-time resident, who gathered much of this historical information together.
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