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Moss House considered for registry

Mineral Ridge home to be reviewed at national level

Staff photo / Bob Coupland John Godleski, left, assists Sam Plant, 8, of Mineral Ridge, in playing with some old-style toys outside the historic Moss Ancestral House, background, in Mineral Ridge during an open house held this summer. The Godleski family and others have restored the historic house which is being considered for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places.

WEATHERSFIELD — The historic Moss Ancestral House has been submitted for consideration for placement on the National Register of Historic Places.

Marci Buchanan, president of the Mineral Ridge Historical Society, said she received word this month the house’s application to be on the registry was reviewed by the Ohio History Connection’s State Historic Preservation Office in Columbus, which forwarded the request to the national level.

The next step is for the National Parks and Recreation Services Offices to review the request and consider the house for placement on the national register.

“I am in contact with the Ohio History Connection and others on what is the next step that we need to do. This process will take a while,” Buchanan said.

She said the decision at the national level about the house’s inclusion on the list could take up to a year.

Buchanan said the process for the state to review the application took about two years,

In addition to Buchanan, the application process to get the house on the register involved work from Mary Lou Godleski, curator of the Moss House; Chris Klingemier, a local historian; and Sue Tietz, secretary of the Southington Community Trust, who has assisted in getting local historic buildings on the register, including the Chalker Building in Southington.

Tietz said the process to get approval can be a long one.

She said National Registry of Historic Places criteria is based on age, integrity and significance of the property or building.

“They will look to see if the criteria will be met with the Moss House in those three areas,” Tietz said. She said the National Parks and Recreation Service will have 45 days to review and look over the request.

Buchanan said buildings and locations that get on the register receive national recognition and also provide places for preservation and archaeological study.

“More people nationwide will see the Moss House on the national registry. This helps in educating people about our local history and the history of the house and about preservation,” she said.

Buchanan said she has heard from local people in the field of archaeology who are interested in studying at the house.

The two-and-a-half story Pennsylvania Bank-style house house built in the 1830s is located at 1499 Burnett St. and is one of the oldest houses in the area.

Godleski, owner and curator of the Moss Home and a Moss family ancestor, has said if the effort is successful, it will help the Moss Ancestral Home become a tourist stop. She said grant funding also is easier to secure with the designation.

“There are many positives by getting this designation,” Godleski said.

The society was successful in past years with getting historical markers for Salt Springs placed at Kerr Cemetery and one for the black banned ore, which was mined in the area, erected at the township park off state Route 46.

Godleski said she searched for the house that her great-great-grandfather lived in when he immigrated to the United States from Luxembourg in 1855. What she found was a home in complete disrepair and condemned by Weathersfield Township.

Work began on restoring the house by removing all recent additions. All the windows were replaced with wooden frame duplicates that were built in 1840s style by Amish artisans. Due to three fires, the roof was replaced, and ceiling boards were taken from another period home in Kinsman that had the same tongue-and-groove joints. The entire exterior was cleaned, and interior woodwork and fireplaces were uncovered and restored.

Architectural restoration classes at Youngstown State University have used the property as part of their course work.

The historic house will hold two more open houses this year from 1 to 4 p.m. Oct. 9 and 1 to 4 p.m. Nov. 13 which will be the holiday display.

bcoupland@tribtoday.com

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