A period bedroom with bed on the left. A wooden bench with red upholstered seats sits at the foot of the bed. The bed has a wooden bedframe and white linens. Behind the bed is a wooden chest of drawers. At the back of the room next to windows are upholstered sitting chairs. Four chairs sit around a wooden table at the right of the image. The front of the room has a white pedestal with historic objects that can be touched.

Master Bedroom

In 1858, George Macculloch died at Macculloch Hall. In his will, he left his widow Louisa wealthy with bequests of $2500, 1/3 of his wines, 1/3 of his silver, his clothes and linens, and “all the furniture and appurtenances of her bedroom.” The remainder of Macculloch Hall property and contents was given to his daughter, Mary Louisa, and her husband Jacob Miller. Louisa Macculloch became, in effect, an honored guest in her own home until her own death in 1863.

The master bedroom would have been Louisa’s private space. This is the largest bedroom in the house. It looks out over the garden, and her rose garden just below her window. Roses have been a part of Maculloch Hall since its founding. Records show that the Maccullochs paid Francis Cook $1 on April 6, 1810 “to set roses and flowers.”

The fire screen has an oil painting on velvet called a theorem. This was painted by Mary Louisa as a gift to her parents when she was 14 years old.

After George Macculloch died in 1858 at age 83, Louisa may have spent more time in this bedroom. It addition to sleeping here, Louisa would have read, written letters and received family members. Please ring the bell. It is an example of what Louisa may have used to call the servants to help her as she aged.

The section of plaster molding on display is similar to the molding in Louisa’s bedroom. This architectural feature marks Louisa’s room as high status. Only the formal rooms of the house and the family bedrooms had plaster molding. The back stairwell and keeping rooms off it do not have plaster molding.

Feel the different textures of the finished painted side verses the rougher rear side that was attached to the wall and ceiling. You may also notice hair in and coming out of the plaster. This is horse hair used in plaster to help hold it together and make it stronger. The hair came from the horses’ tail and mane. Please handle with care as the plaster may flake or get powdery.

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