WEATHERSFIELD — Visitors took advantage of Sunday’s open house at Weathersfield’s Moss Ancestral House, recently added to the National Register of Historic Places, as they sought out history on their families.

Donna Haren of Boardman and her daughters, Christine Scheboth of Hookstown, Pennsylvania, and Kathleen Kerby of Medina, were among those who stopped Sunday in search of information on their relatives, Elmer and Ruby Moss. Haren was the Mosses’ daughter. Elmer ran an auto parts shop in Girard.

Scheboth said they are Moss family descendants and had been to the house more than 20 years ago. They recalled Mary Lou Godleski, curator of the Moss House, and others who began the home’s restoration project.

The home, located at 1499 Burnett St. Mineral Ridge, was built in the 1830s. The Moss family of Mineral Ridge lived in the home for four decades beginning in 1859. The home is a two-and-a-half story Pennsylvania Bank-style house that is one of the oldest homes in the area.

“When the house was first restored, we came a few times and brought our children. They always liked coming to the summer campfires held by Bill Moss,” Scheboth said, admiring the improvements made to the home. “It’s amazing all they have done to the house.”

“I like seeing the old photos, antiques and knickknacks and the history of the families,” said Haren.

“I was here five years ago at Christmas time when the house was decorated for the holidays with trees and original holiday candles,” Scheboth said.

Scheboth said they have learned a lot about their family’s history by looking over the books and other materials at the house on the Moss family.

Godleski said people stop out of curiosity to see the house and property,

“I have people tell me they have been here before to see the house, but it was a long time ago. Two men stopped the other day and stayed for two hours.” she said.

Godleski said she herself never looked at the national list of historic places to visit and now is seeing what else is on the list.

“I never realized until recently all the people who look at that list and then schedule trips to go see the different places and buildings,” she said.

Marci Buchanan of the Mineral Ridge Historical Society led the effort submitting the needed paperwork to get the Moss House included on the national register.

In addition to Buchanan, the application process to get the house on the register involved work from Godleski; 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 has said National Registry of Historic Places criteria is based on age, integrity and significance of the property or building.

Godleski said recently a family stopped to show old style rifles that they had. She said they were descendants of Stephen Fordham Burnett, who had a large hardware that later became Stambaugh Thompson.

“It is always amazing when people stop and the stories they share. There are some who bring things to show,” she said.

Godleski said Sunday’s planned campfire and Native American program by Bill Moss will be rescheduled.

The next open house is scheduled for 1 to 4 p.m. Sept. 10 with Daughters of the American Revolution expected to host a program.