Ruth Graves was born in East Walpole, Massachusetts. Her early life instilled in her a love for cooking, as she began experimenting with recipes and creating her own dishes from a young age, displaying a natural talent and passion for the culinary arts.

Before owning the Toll House Inn, Ruth worked as a dietitian and food lecturer. This background gave her a strong understanding of nutrition, food science, and recipe development, which would later prove invaluable in her culinary endeavors.

Ruth Graves married Kenneth Wakefield, embarking on a new chapter in her life. Together, they would eventually take on the ambitious project of opening and running their own inn.

Ruth and Kenneth Wakefield purchased a historic toll house in Whitman, Massachusetts, originally built in 1709. They transformed it into the Toll House Inn, a restaurant that quickly gained popularity for its delicious home-style cooking and welcoming atmosphere. The Toll House Inn would become the birthplace of the famous chocolate chip cookie.

While baking cookies for her guests at the Toll House Inn, Ruth Wakefield famously ran out of baker's chocolate. She substituted it with chopped pieces of a Nestle semi-sweet chocolate bar, expecting it to melt and blend into the batter. Instead, the chocolate pieces held their shape, creating the first chocolate chip cookie. Her innovation quickly became a sensation, and people came from miles around to taste the new treat.

As the popularity of Ruth's chocolate chip cookies grew, Nestlé recognized the marketing potential. They struck a deal with Wakefield, printing her recipe on their chocolate bar wrappers in exchange for a lifetime supply of chocolate. This collaboration helped solidify the chocolate chip cookie's place in American culture.

During World War II, soldiers from Massachusetts who were stationed overseas would write home asking for Toll House cookies. Wakefield and her staff baked and shipped countless batches of the cookies to troops, further cementing the cookie's iconic status.

Ruth and Kenneth Wakefield sold the Toll House Inn after running it successfully for many years. The inn continued to operate under new ownership, but its legacy as the birthplace of the chocolate chip cookie remained intact.

Ruth Graves Wakefield passed away at the age of 73, leaving behind a lasting legacy as the creator of one of the most beloved and iconic desserts in the world. Her accidental invention continues to bring joy to people of all ages.