diff --git a/Marlin/Version.h b/Marlin/Version.h
index cc301e324..186828b89 100644
--- a/Marlin/Version.h
+++ b/Marlin/Version.h
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@
   /**
    * Marlin release version identifier
    */
-  #define SHORT_BUILD_VERSION "1.1.8"
+  #define SHORT_BUILD_VERSION "1.1.9"
 
   /**
    * Verbose version identifier which should contain a reference to the location
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@
    * here we define this default string as the date where the latest release
    * version was tagged.
    */
-  #define STRING_DISTRIBUTION_DATE "2018-01-20"
+  #define STRING_DISTRIBUTION_DATE "2018-07-31"
 
   /**
    * Required minimum Configuration.h and Configuration_adv.h file versions.
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index e1c4b068d..e917fa747 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -9,9 +9,11 @@ Marlin is an optimized firmware for [RepRap 3D printers](http://reprap.org/) bas
 
 ## Marlin 1.1.x
 
-This 1.1.x Release Branch contains the latest tagged version of Marlin (currently 1.1.8 – December 2017).
+The 1.1.x branch is home to all tagged releases of Marlin 1.1 (final version 1.1.9 – July 2018).
 
-Marlin 1.1 represents an evolutionary leap over Marlin 1.0. It is the result of over two years of effort by several volunteers around the world who have paid meticulous and sometimes obsessive attention to every detail. We've focused on code quality, performance, stability, and overall user experience. Several new features have been added, many of which require no extra hardware.
+This branch will receive no further updates. All future development —including all bug fixes— will take place in the [`bugfix-2.0.x`](https://github.com/MarlinFirmware/Marlin/tree/bugfix-2.0.x) branch, which will also serve as the root for all future Marlin development. Be sure to test [`bugfix-2.0.x`](https://github.com/MarlinFirmware/Marlin/tree/bugfix-2.0.x) before reporting any bugs you find in 1.1.9.
+
+Marlin 1.1.9 is the final release of the 8-bit flat version of Marlin Firmware. A monumental amount of talent and effort has gone into its production, and thanks are due to many people around the world. Throughout Marlin 1.1 development we worked closely with the community, contributors, vendors, host developers, library developers, etc. to improve the quality, configurability, and compatibility of Marlin Firmware, all while continuing to support a wide variety of Arduino-based boards.
 
 ## Marlin 1.0.x