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The Martha Washington Inn is a historic hotel located in Abingdon, Virginia. Originally built in 1832 by General Francis Preston, hero of the War of 1812, for his family of nine children, over the course of the last 174 years, the building has served as an upscale women's college, a Civil War hospital and barracks, and as a residence for visiting actors of the Barter Theatre. In addition to hotel services, the inn now offers spa treatments. The Martha Washington Hotel & Spa is a member of Historic Hotels of America, the official program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. ==History== In 1832, General Francis Preston built the brick residence for his family at a cost of $15,000.〔(The Martha Washington Inn site )〕 The mansion remained in the Preston family possession until 1858, when it was sold at the cost of $21,000 to the founders of Martha Washington College.〔 The college devoted entirely to women operated for seventy years until finally succumbing to the Great Depression. At the time of the Civil War, the college served as the training ground for the Confederate unit, the Washington Mounted Rifles. After various skirmishes between United States and Confederate forces, wounded were brought to the school for treatment. It was also during this time period that the building attained the nickname, "The Martha."〔 Among its post-war alumnae was the valedictorian of the Class of 1880, Nellie Nugent Somerville, who would go on to become the first woman elected to the Mississippi Legislature. The architectural integrity of the Martha has been preserved for over 150 years. The original living room of the Preston family is now the main lobby of the inn. One of the original items owned by the Preston family is the Dutch-baroque grandfather clock which measures over nine feet tall. This beautiful clock, which was shipped from England by one of the Preston daughters, now takes its rightful place in the East Parlor of the inn.〔 After passing through various hands over the next three years, in 1935, the Martha Washington Inn opened. The inn has operated ever since in the capacity of a hotel. In 1984, the ''United Group'', an investment group of businessmen, purchased the inn and paid for an 8 million dollar renovation.〔 Eleven years later, the property was admitted to the Camberley Collection of historic places. Today, the Martha Washington Inn serves as both a hotel and spa. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Martha Washington Inn」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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