A skillful carpenter, Doug Hutson started working for Ed Lowe in the early 1970s, when Lowe purchased properties on the main street of Jones, Michigan. Doug helped transform the buildings into a town of yesteryear theme park Lowe named “Jones Is Back.” It contained such attractions as an opera house, ice cream shop, petting zoo, museum, railroad cars and several novelty stores. Jones Is Back never caught on as a popular tourist destination, and in 1977 the buildings were sold at auction.

Initially a contract laborer, Doug eventually was hired full time at Big Rock Valley. He saw some of his woodworking projects through from start to finish, using trees felled, cured and milled at the sawmill on site. Hutson was a key participant in the conversion of an old barn in 1976 into a residence Ed and Darlene called the Barn House. He also supervised the initial renovation of most of the guesthouses and facilities at the foundation, including changing wooden boxcars into lodging for overnight retreat guests.

Linda began work at Big Rock Valley in 1986 as a housekeeper, where she met Doug. They were married in 1993. In the early 90s, the Hutsons moved to Arcadia, Florida, where they worked at the Lowe’s E&D Ranch property. Linda was a personal housekeeper for the Lowes, while Doug worked on building and maintenance projects on the ranch.