About Us
History of the Inn
The original farmhouse was build in 1916 as the homestead for the Peterson family. Many of the family still live locally and farm the land that surrounds the Inn. The second owner was Doc Leibold – the town’s only physician for a long time and, by all accounts, a very colorful character. The Leibolds sold the house on to the Chamberlain family, who in turn sold it to Ted and Prue Miller in 1984. It was the Millers who turned the house into a B&B.
In 1999 Bill and Susan Brager purchased the Inn
from the Millers, having already been leasing the inn for 12 months prior.
The house is a little corner of Fork’s history and is always evolving and transforming.
Twilight
The Miller Tree Inn has been designated the “Cullen House” in Forks. Though it looks nothing like the movie version, our inn closely matches Stephenie Meyer‘s description of the Cullen family home. The Cullens travel from Washington frequently, so chances of seeing them are slim. However, the innkeepers speak “Twilight” and are under strict orders to take special care of their overnight guests. A complete Forks “Twilight” experience must include some imagination and a stay at the Cullen House.
A Brief History of How the Miller Tree Inn Became the Cullen House
“. . . . the deep porch that wrapped around the first story. I don’t know what I had expected, but it definitely wasn’t this. The house was timeless, graceful, and probably a hundred years old. It was painted a soft, faded white, three stories tall, rectangular and well proportioned. The windows and doors were either part of the original structure or a perfect restoration. . . . .”
Excerpt from Stephenie Meyer’s “Twilight”
Chapter 15. The Cullens
And that was the beginning of how the Miller Tree Inn came to be known as the “Cullen House.”
Just after the book, Twilight, was released, we started noticing a small trickle of guests talking about a book they had read and asking us where the high school and hospital were located. Soon, we started noticing groups of mostly young girls, having their pictures taken in front of the Forks High School and Forks Outfitters signs. Then the Chamber of Commerce Director and Visitor’s Center Manager told the Chamber Board that they needed to develop a “Twilight Map” because there were so many people coming in and asking where different things were. Finally, in about 2008, the Chamber Board asked the Director and Manager to come up with a “Twilight Tour” utilizing the Logging Tour Van. When they put the tour together, they needed a house for the Cullen family. Since ours matched the book description, we became the “Cullen House.” To help the fans’ imaginations, we put the Cullen name on our mailbox and Esme used to leave messages on a white board on the front porch. Once the movies came out, things really took off, and two different tour companies took over the Twilight tours from the Chamber of Commerce. Currently, Team Forks Twilight Tours can be reached by phone at 360-374-6931 or by email at tif@centurytel.net.
If you want more information about visiting “Twilight” movie sites in Oregon and southern Washington, visit ExperienceTwilight.com.
Guests at the Inn can see our replica of the graduation cap artwork (from the movie) and our tables are occasionally set with some “Cullen House” pottery mugs, made especially for us.
In the summer of 2011, we added Carlisle’s Office, a sitting area on the second floor. Carlisle’s Office has some old medical equipment and books and some reproductions of pictures and paintings described in the Twilight book. The office also is home to the reading library of the Miller Tree Inn.
Whether you are a Twilight fan or are here to enjoy the scenic beauty of our surroundings, we welcome you to stay at the Miller Tree Inn aka “Cullen House.“ If you are a Twilight fan, stayed with us and did not get your letter from the Cullen family, please email or call. They would be disappointed in us for not giving it to you! (And yes, our Cullen House and Miller Tree Inn mugs are for sale. Just ask). For a map of Vancouver, BC, movie sites from “New Moon” and “Eclipse”, go to https://moviemaps.org/movies/1