JACKSON, Wyo. — This summer, the historic Miller House located on the National Elk Refuge (NER) will operate fully as employee housing for Refuge staff.
According to a press release from the NER, the downstairs portion will no longer be an interpretive center open to the public.
The structure historically served as housing for the NER from 1914 to 1942 and again from the 1970s to 2005. In the summer of 2005, the downstairs portion of the Miller House was opened to the public while the kitchen and upstairs apartment continued to serve as limited NER housing through the present day.
“Availability of employee housing has been an ongoing struggle for the Refuge, as it has been for the broader community,” said the NER. “The Miller House will serve as critical housing for seasonal Refuge staff and volunteers.”
Construction of the current Miller House began in 1895 and was completed in 1898. The house was massive for its time and is sometimes called Jackson’s first “trophy home.” The large home served as an important meeting place for the community. The first elections in Jackson Hole were held in the house in 1898, as well as numerous civic meetings and social gatherings. It was even temporarily used as a U.S. Post Office. When Robert and Grace Miller sold their ranch in 1914, the Miller House became the NER headquarters.
The Miller House was closed for two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. When it reopened last summer, visitation was low and staffing the site remained a persistent challenge. The Miller House has had historically low visitation, with an average daily visitation of about six people compared to the summer average of 650 per day in the National Elk Refuge and Greater Yellowstone Visitor Center.
Currently, the NER is revisioning its visitor experiences. NER considered reimagining the visitor experience at the Miller House, but it was ultimately decided that the best use of the building was employee and volunteer housing.
The NER will be constructing a welcoming new Nature Center at the current location of the National Elk Refuge and Greater Yellowstone Visitor Center in 2025. This new facility aims to better meet visitor needs and align with the mission of the Refuge.
