Minnesota Resort Industry Oral History Project: Interview with Chris Ruttger

Titles: Minnesota Resort Industry Oral History Project: Interview with Chris Ruttger (Supplied title)

Description: BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION: Christopher Ruttger was born in 1962, in Marathon, Florida. He is the son of Jack and Ann Ruttger, grandson of Alec and Myrtle Ruttger, and great-grandson of Joe and Josie Ruttger, founders of Ruttger's Bay Lake Lodge. He is a graduate of Cornell University and at the time of the interview was general manager of Bay Lake Lodge. At one time, each of the four sons of Bay Lake Lodge founders Joe and Josie Ruttger operated one or more independent resorts in Minnesota and Florida. SUBJECTS DISCUSSED: Birth and parents, siblings and where he grew up. Bay Lake Lodge: Earliest memories, activities and work experiences. Mother's role in resort management, who took care of him, where the family lived, ate, played during season. Seasonal school changes. Description of and improvements and changes to the resort, grounds, amenities, cabins, lodge, dining rooms, boats, watercraft. Clientele, changes in tastes, favorite activities, rise in popularity of tennis, then golf, gift shops, stores. Children's programs, naturalist program, management changes as size of resort and staff has grown. Changeover day; geographic area guests drawn from. Florida operations: living arrangements, locations, amenities, activities, guests, length of season, reason for selling, what has happened to the property. Bay Lake Lodge, improvements, upgrades, size of cottages, convention center, improvements and changes to dining rooms and lodge, villa units, Battle Point condos added a mile away, year-round facilities, dining room layout, meals, food choices, telephones, switchboard, e-mail, web site, physical plant, aspirations to become a four star resort, professionalism of staff, competition and cooperation with other local resorts such as Cragun's, Madden's and Breezy Point, plans for the future.

Dates

• 08/19/1997 (Creation)

Creation

• interviewee: Ruttger, Christopher Joseph
• interviewer: Ruttger, Theresa

Identifiers

• Library Call Number: OH 79
• Accession Number: AV2000.128.3

Holding Type: Oral History - Interview

Project

• Oral History - Project, MHS Collection, project: 'Minnesota Resort Industry Oral History Project' <OH 79>

Quantity: 3 hours sound cassette 30 pages transcript

Format

• Content Category: sound recordings
• Content Category: text

Measurements

• 180 minutes length

Subjects

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