The Piedmont Driving Club, initially known as the Gentlemen’s Driving Club, was established in 1887 with a specific focus on the members’ interest in horse and carriage driving. The name “Driving Club” accurately reflected the primary activity and passion of the club’s members during that time. This unique leisure activity involved the members harnessing their horses to carriages and driving them around the club grounds.
At the time of its founding, horse and carriage driving was a popular pastime among the upper class and elite society. It was a means of showcasing one’s wealth and status, as well as a way to enjoy the outdoors and socialize with fellow enthusiasts. The members of the Gentlemen’s Driving Club were no exception, and they sought a dedicated space where they could indulge in their passion for driving.
Initially, the club owned and utilized the adjacent grounds for their driving activities. These grounds provided ample space for the members to navigate their carriages, enjoy friendly competitions, and simply relish in the beauty of their surroundings. The members took great pride in their driving skills and cherished the opportunity to showcase their expertise to one another.
However, as time went on, the club’s interests expanded beyond just driving. In the late 19th century, golf was gaining popularity as a recreational sport, and several members of the Gentlemen’s Driving Club expressed an interest in incorporating golf into their activities. Consequently, the club briefly transformed a portion of their grounds into a golf course to cater to these new interests.
Nonetheless, the club’s primary focus remained on driving, and the golf course was ultimately short-lived. In 1904, the club made the decision to sell the land to the city of Atlanta, which had plans to develop the area into a public park. This land, along with additional tracts, eventually became the renowned Piedmont Park.
The name “Piedmont Driving Club” emerged during this transitional period when the club was still actively engaged in driving but no longer owned the grounds adjacent to the park. The name change was reflective of the club’s historical roots and its continued dedication to the sport of driving.
The Piedmont Driving Club was named as such due to its origins as the Gentlemen’s Driving Club, which emphasized the members’ shared interest in horse and carriage driving. The name persisted even after the club briefly incorporated golf into its activities and subsequently sold its grounds to the city to create Piedmont Park. The name serves as a testament to the club’s historical legacy and ongoing commitment to the sport of driving.