Pinecrest Lake Resort and Golf Club

Over the Fourth of July holiday weekend in 1926, an area in Pocono Pines, Monroe County, became the gathering place for Lutherans from across the country. The land, originally owned by the Presbyterian-run Pocono Pines Assembly, was purchased by a group of Lutherans from New York City who was searching for a suitable year-round destination for its members.

More than 2,000 people attended the official dedication of Lutherland, also known as the Lutheran Conference and Camp Association. Lutherland was to serve as a vacation and training site for Lutheran children. According to The Morning Sun newspaper, the weekend dedication was marked with a church service and patriotic ceremonies such as raising the American flag and singing "The Star-Spangled Banner." Guests walked the property and marveled at the natural beauty of the land and the clean air and water.

The children's camps at Lutherland thrived under the leadership of Lutherland's president, Henry Dahlen. Two camps were built on either side of Lake Tamaque — a camp for boys named Chickagami at one end of the lake and a camp for girls named Nowakwa at the other.

Lutherland drew thousands of vacationers, and the Association of Church members sold memberships in Lutherland to help defray the costs of the retreat. The association sold lots to members for $100; on each lot, a house could be built. Each lot measured 50 by 150 feet, and more than 1,400 lots were available for purchase.

By 1929, only three years after its opening, Dahlen stated in his annual report that Lutherland was a great success and had become "one of the largest camps of its kind in the country." Dahlen reported that several improvements, including a new modern hotel, playgrounds, playhouse, spring-fed lake, as well as a power plant, encouraged record numbers of Lutheran vacationers to Lutherland. In his report, Dahlen spoke of future plans to build a "bungalow colony" and expand the religious and recreational programs.

Lutherland, however, could not survive the Great Depression and, by the mid-1930s, began to experience financial difficulties. The organization borrowed a large sum of money from Reconstruction Finance Corp., a government agency. In attempts to recoup its lost earnings, Lutherland opened its doors to anyone, including non-Lutherans. Unfortunately, the strategy of encouraging paying guests of any religious denomination to Lutherland did not work. The buildings and grounds had not been modernized, and the large debt was never able to be paid back. In 1951, Lutherland declared bankruptcy.

The land and buildings were sold to Valparaiso University, Indiana, in 1963. The university had hoped to establish an eastern branch of its Lutheran-based university. In 1969, Valparaiso University realized an expansion of their university was not possible and sold the property to Susque Industries. Susque Industries attempted to operate a hotel, but by 1972, was unable to make a profit or pay back loans.

The hotel and property were foreclosed on, and the area once known as Lutherland reverted to Philadelphia National Bank, which placed a $3 million price tag on the property.

After years of neglect, Deer Run Corp. acquired the property in 1982, renamed it Pinecrest, and built a development with townhouses, single homes, recreation facilities, a golf course and other improvements.

Today, not much remains of the original Lutherland. The cottages still stand, but the camps, casino and hotel have been torn down. Owners still have their 99-year leases on the Lutherland property lots that were sold in the mid-1920s during the height of this vacation destination for thousands of people.