WLM
| home
a ‘downtown cabin’ for them to enjoy in
nearby Buffalo – the home that Pat and
Tami Layher occupy today.
The Layhers graciously introduced us
not only to their home and family, but to
the history of the Meldrum and Wolcott
families as well. Through the five years
that the Layhers have occupied the home,
they have lovingly combed through the rich
layers of historical archives they acquired.
They have learned the history of the family
and become close friends with the children
of Jack and Helen Meldrum, Louise
Meldrum Anderson and Gordon ‘Gordy’
Meldrum.
As they took me on a tour of the home,
the family’s artifacts are melded seamlessly
with the Layher’s family artifacts to create
a new and exciting chapter in the life of
the house. “This house feels like a happy
place,” Tami smiled as we chatted. The
Layher’s family pictures, including their
three children, Ashley, Katie and Patrick,
sit alongside antique books from George
Wolcott’s extensive collection. In the upstairs
bedrooms, antique furniture from the
Meldrum family is enjoyed by guests, and
the Layher’s friendly kitty, Rufus. Along the
wall in the upstairs hallway, a giant map
12
from Jack’s days as a pilot adorns the wall.
“I don’t want this to come down,” Tami
noted as she lovingly touched the map. “It
was important to Jack, and I just love it.”
On the main floor, the living room and
dining room blend modern comforts with
historic elements. The original fireplace and
electric sconces create the atmosphere. In
the corner, an antique two tube radio was
refurbished to working order. “We even
have some of their records to play!” Pat said.
Tami added, “We took out the Christmas
records last year – it was wonderful!” On
the modern side, the fireplace’s mantel
height was raised slightly, and its floral
wallpaper fits in perfectly. A shade of cozy
taupe updates the other walls – and was a
little concerning to Pat at first. “I promised
him it would all come together,” Tami said.
“And behind the sconces, I saw a sample of
the paint that was used originally – it was
the exact same shade!”
Besides the historic elements already
residing in the home, the Layhers have
found special antiques for their renovation
projects. A 1940s Western-Holly oven was
an incredible find Pat added to their kitchen.
Found online for only $300 in California,
the oven works just as well as it did when it
Wyoming Lifestyle Magazine | Winter 2013
was first purchased. An original instruction
book included plans for a built-in cabinet,
which Pat followed closely. I would
personally have never guessed that the oven
wasn’t an original purchase in the 1940s!
The piece includes a rotisserie oven, which
has been put to good use. “The instructions
included a recipe for rotisserie chicken
using bacon grease or lard to coat the
chicken thoroughly,” Tami laughed. “At first
we thought, ‘no way!’ – but then we tried it.
It was delicious!”
In the dining room, I was intrigued by the
beautiful table spread, including a complete
china set that belonged to the Wolcotts, as
well as crystal and silver serving pieces.
The crystal chandelier in the dining room
is original, as is the beautiful dining room
set. Pat’s favorite feature in the dining
room? The optional servant’s buzzer for
the floor! “They’d put this underneath a
chair,” Pat said as he demonstrated how the
attachment worked, “and they’d push it with
their foot to let the staff know when they
were ready for their food.”
“He used that once on me,” Tami said with
a laugh. “I heard this ‘ding dong