Our Story
Restoration / Revitalization of an Eastlake Style Victorian Estate ... Amy and Brad Zehr
We purchased the 208 Chemung street property in Waverly, NY on March 17, 2010. We named it "Zehr Estate" and it is presently under revitalization and restoration. The property includes the former outbuilding at 208 1/2 Chemung street and the former carriage house at 9 Athens street. Almost seven years later, on January 17, 2017, we purchased the home and lot at 7 Athens street, rejoining the original Samuel Wickham Slaughter and Charlotte Wells Slaughter's property.
Back in 1945, the original estate was sold and turned into an apartment complex and five years later, in 1950, the then empty lot at 7 Athens street was sold off and the current home at 7 Athens street was built.
We are fortunate to have the late Samuel W. Slaughter's property back together. The home at 208 Chemung street was re-built for Samuel and his new bride, Charlotte Wells, in 1873, as a wedding gift from Samuel's father, Dewitt Slaughter.
As we continue the restoration, our plans also change. We have returned the estate to a one-family estate, Zehr Estate.
In 2010, we thought that maybe someday, it would be nice to host special events on a small scale and or to offer a "bed and breakfast". As of 2023, our plans no longer consist of offering a "bed and breakfast." All we know right now, in 2023, is that we have many more years of restoration / revitalization ahead of us.
Brad was born and raised on the edge of the Adirondack's, in Lowvile, NY. He grew up on a dairy farm. Brad worked for a carpentry crew during his school years and also had a great uncle who taught him fine woodworking skills. Brad and I met during our college years at Alfred, NY. Brad built our home in Athens, PA, where we raised our two children. In the past, Brad has been employed as a research lab technician for the Guthrie Foundation of Research in Sayre, PA, as an analytical chemist at Osram Sylvania in Towanda, PA, for marketing at Guthrie in Sayre, PA, and as a Circuit Librarian for the Guthrie. He is currently working at Granite Works in Waverly, NY and is also self-employed, zehr.net, a website related service.
I, Amy, grew up in Athens, PA. I was employed in the past as a registered nurse on a medical/surgical floor of the Robert Packer Hospital in Sayre, PA and also as a Charge Nurse for the Sayre House, in Sayre, PA. I chose to be a "stay at home Mom" and also to have home schooled our two children. As of 2014, I am a volunteer board member and researcher of the Waverly Historical Society. I enjoy spending time on the restoration / revitalization of our property and researching its history. We both love the amazing architecture and history of the property!
As of May 2014, we have been working on another restoration / revitalization project, our Zehr Retreat in Lewistown, PA.
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We thank all individuals who have voiced encouragement, advice, creative thoughts or technical ideas with this historic revitalization effort!
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