Holiday home tour set Dec. 7 in Mineola

The Mineola Landmark Commission will host the “Homes for the Holidays” Tour of Homes on Sunday, Dec. 7 from 1-5 p.m.

Tickets are $20 and may be purchased on the day of the tour at each participating home. Tickets may also be purchased ahead of time from any Landmark Commission member or at Mineola City Hall. Proceeds from the tour will benefit Landmark Commission projects such as Iron Horse Square, historical markers and scholarships. 

Four homes will be on the tour. The Materson home at 701 N. Johnson St. is a Queen Anne 1901 Victorian home which has received a local historical marker.  It was built by the Mansell family, a well-known family in Mineola for many years. Their daughter, Amy Willis, was a long-time teacher for MISD. In the past, the home provided space for a floral shop and a hair salon. It has recently been restored with original hardwood floors, gorgeous fireplaces, high ceilings, transom windows, clawfoot tub and an upgraded kitchen. As you walk through the front door and enter the great center hall, it brings a sense of calm like walking back into the early 1900s. The wrap around porch and back deck offer relaxing outdoor areas, and the side porch is used as a painting studio. The owner was searching for an older home and fell in love with Mineola where a slower pace of life can be enjoyed. The home was purchased by the new owner in June 2025.

The Godfrey home, just down the street at 914 N. Johnson, was built in 1920 and was originally a two-room house. It was remodeled in 1928 when purchased by W.B. Knight. In 1931 it was purchased by C.A. and Eula Ivey Williams for $1,500.  They owned the home until 1938 when they sold it to T.H. and Mary Lena Carroll.  Donald, and Helen Skinner bought the home in 1980. It was then purchased in 2002 by James and Mary Ann Boggs who sold it to Graham and June Calow in 2009. The present owner bought the home in 2015. The home has gone through many changes over the years and now it is a much larger home. It grew to three bedrooms on the bottom floor, but later, the front bedroom was turned into a grand entry with an added staircase leading to a new bedroom upstairs. The Godfreys made the house into a warm and wonderful home. This home was once considered to be out in the country but has since become an icon on its residential corner lot near downtown.

Two homes on Sycamore St. will also be on the tour. The Hodson home is a two-story home at 909 Sycamore, purchased by the current owners in 2019. It was originally owned by Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Williams who purchased the home from a company using new building techniques in 1976. The walls were pre-made and brought in on trucks to be attached to each other and to the post-tension slab on site. People living on the street at the time recall watching in amazement as the walls were trucked in and then assembled to create the home. This house later became home to Dr. and Mrs. Nutt for nearly 30 years. This four-bedroom home has undergone some renovations and has a fireplace mantel made by Dr. Andy Hawari, some beautiful stained glass, French doors and art displays by the Hodson children and other local Wood County artists. 

The Hudson home is located across the street at 908 Sycamore. The original portion of the home was built in 1929 using lumber from an old school in the Hainesville area and belonged to Herbert and Christine Faulk. It later sold to Charlie White in 1937 who then sold it to Mr. and Mrs. R.J. Ummel. Charles and Lydia Evans bought the home in the mid-1970s for just over $8,000. The house has grown over the years and now has three bedrooms and two baths. One of the bedrooms has unique padded fabric on the walls. The utility room was the original back porch, the master bedroom with knotty pine walls was once a porch, and the dining area was also a porch as evident with the remaining bricks that add a unique touch to the area. A large family room was added to the back of the house with many mid-century modern touches. A two-car garage has been built, the kitchen remodeled, and brick has been added to the exterior. A lot of the work on the home was done by Evans himself along with other local carpenters such as Todd Turner, Horace Cantrell and Sonny Karch. A metal roof was one of the most recent upgrades. 

Please come enjoy some beautiful homes decorated in the Christmas spirit. Refreshments will be served at each home, and ticket stubs may be placed in a drawing for door prizes. Winners will be contacted the following Monday to pick up their prizes at City Hall. Landmark Commission merchandise will also be for sale.