Mountain Lake is located in the ridge country of Central Florida, and was developed by Baltimorean Frederick S. Ruth.

According to the National Park Service, Ruth purchased 3,500 acres of "lush land in the richest and most elevated real estate in the area" consisting of Florida's "liveliest hills, lakes, forests, and groves".

[1] The developers wanted Mountain Lake to be an exclusive residential area created "to attract the nation's business elite".

[9] House lots within the historic district can be sizable; as an example, Irving T. Bush's estate covered five acres (about 2 hectares).

[10] A significant building constructed in the 1920s by the Olmsted Brothers, the Mediterranean Revival style Mountain Lake Colony House near the golf course is used as a club for the residents and offers rooms for their guests.