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This spacious room was the bedroom of George and Martha Washington. Located directly above the study in the private south wing, it was the sanctuary of Mrs. Washington and provided a quiet retreat from family and many guests. Designed with suggestions from Mrs. Washington, the room is simple with functional closets for the storage of linens and clothes. It was here that she planned her schedule, wrote letters to friends and family members, and kept careful watch over the operations of the house and kitchen staff. According to her grandson, she also spent an hour each day reading the Bible. Portraits of her grandchildren adorn the walls. A French mantle clock, purchased in Philadelphia during the presidency and brought back to Mount Vernon, provided an elegant touch in the otherwise tasteful but simply decorated room.
Although this room was associated most closely with Martha Washington by family members, history has tied it indelibly to George Washington. It was here that he died on December 14, 1799 of a severe throat infection diagnosed by his doctors as quinsy. Upon his death, Mrs. Washington closed the master bedroom for the remainder of her life and retired to a room on the third floor. It seems she did not wish to remain in a part of the house that held so many memories of her life with George Washington, her husband of 40 years.
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