Ruttger History
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The history of the Ruttger resort family in Minnesota

It all started in 1898 when Great Grandpa Joe Ruttger, who had emigrated from Germany in the late 19th century, built some cottages on the farm he had homesteaded in Bay Lake, Minnesota.

Fishermen would take the train to Deerwood from the Twin cities.  Joe would meet them at the station with his team of horses and drive them five miles to his farm on Bay Lake.  There wasn't much else to do but fish, but the fishing was good, the cabins by the lake were clean and comfortable, and the meals which his wife, Josephine, cooked were delicious. 

minnesota resort pioneers, ruttger family

Minnesota Resort Pioneers

Josephine and Joseph Ruttger center

sons Bill, Ed (left) Alex, Max (right)

The fishermen returned year after year to fish and enjoy the wonderful hospitality.  In those days there was no air-conditioning and many  of the guests came from Texas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Missouri to spend the entire summer in the cool northern Minnesota climate.  Joe built a cabin or so every year and his resort continued to grow.  Ruttger's Bay Lake Lodge, is now the oldest resort in Minnesota still operated by its founding family. It is now operated by Joe's grandson Jack Ruttger and his family.

images/history_Minnesota_resort_lodge_lobby.jpg

Birchmont Beach Hotel Lobby

Eventually all four of Joe's sons and some of the grandsons had their own resorts for a total of five Ruttger resorts in Minnesota and three in Florida.  In the fall of 1936 Joe's sons Max and Alex heard that the grand old resort in Bemidji, the Birchmont Beach Hotel, which had gone bankrupt in 1934 in the heart of the depression, was for sale.  In September of 1936 they bid on the property and acquired it for $39,000.00.

To Birchmont Hotel

 

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Wednesday, June 11, 2008