MINERAL RIDGE — Alabama resident Tom Loeffler was visiting relatives in Mineral Ridge when they suggested seeing the historic Moss Ancestral Home, which was decorated for the holidays.

The home’s many Christmas-themed decorations were put up by local Girl Scouts and Mineral Ridge High School history club students who worked alongside members of the Mineral Ridge Historical Society.

Mary Lou Moss Godleski, owner of the house and a Youngstown native, said the event Sunday was the last open house for this year.

“The Girl Scouts and the high school students helped the historical society decorate each room,” she said.

Marcie Buchanan of the historical society said the Scouts decorated a tree with their Girl Scout badges and the four high-school students did the kitchen and an upstairs room.

Briaunna Wilson, an eighth-grader, volunteers at the house and was conducting tours. She said an announcement at school about the need for help at the Moss House and decorating it for Christmas.

“I help weed and clean in the summer. In the winter I help organize the rooms inside,” she said.

Wilson’s mother, Ashley, and two brothers, Brayden and Brody, came to see the decorated house, which had plates of holiday cookies in each room.

Aurora Apanasewicz and Tenley McElhaney, both 10 of Mineral Ridge, also were touring the house. McElhaney saw the house last year, but it was the first time for Apanasewicz.

Kari McElhaney said in 2020, she and her daughter saw the nutcracker decorations in the house and now Tenley has been collecting nutcracker figurines.

Godleski said she has more than 100 nutcrackers in her collection.

Pat O’Hara Moss of Concord, Ohio, near Painesville, said he always is impressed how his relatives decorate and keep up the house.

“I like all the history of the house and the woodwork and architecture of the house. I like seeing how things are restored,” Linda Duchnak of Niles said.

Loeffler said, “I think this place is fantastic.”

He said he and his wife were visiting relative Linda Ference of Mineral Ridge, who is a historical society member, and were interested in seeing the Moss House.

“My mom’s family came from Ireland in the 1830s to Erie, Pa., and lived in an historic home. When I lived in Phoenix and was a real estate broker, people were interested in historic houses. I sold a ton of historic houses and properties in downtown Phoenix. One client specialized in restoring old houses,” Loeffler said.

Godleski said she was born in Youngstown and lived in North Jackson before getting married and moving to Boston.

“I did my family’s genealogy and learned my great-great-grandfather lived in Mineral Ridge and found that he had lived here. The house was condemned and was going to be torn down. We soon began to restore it.”

Godleski purchased the house and began restoring it in 1990. The first open house was held in fall 2020 and brought relatives from Canton and Sharon, Pa.