Arlington House

Arlington House

During the American Civil War, the grounds of the mansion were selected as the site of Arlington National Cemetery, in part to ensure that Confederate General Robert E. Lee would never again be able to return to his home.

The mansion was built on the orders of George Washington Parke Custis, a step grandson of George Washington and the most prominent resident of what was then known as Alexandria County.

G. W. Custis' only child to survive to adulthood was Mary Anna Randolph Custis. Young Robert E. Lee, whose mother was a cousin of Mrs. Custis, frequently visited Arlington. Two years after graduating from West Point, Lieutenant Lee married Mary Custis at Arlington on June 30, 1831.

In 1925, the War Department began to restore the mansion, and control of the mansion was transferred to the National Park Service in 1933. Congress designated the mansion as a memorial to Lee in 1955, and it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1966.

Today, the mansion is managed by the National Park Service as a memorial to Robert E. Lee while the land surrounding the mansion, known as Arlington National Cemetery, is managed by the Department of the Army.

Location

Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington, Virginia
USA

Getting There

Arlington House is located within the grounds of Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.

The closest Metro station is the Arlington Cemetery station on the Blue Line, which is about a 10-minute walk to the house. From the station, visitors can follow the signs to the cemetery and then to the house.

Alternatively, there are several bus routes that stop near Arlington National Cemetery, including the Metrobus 7A, 10A, and 23A routes. Visitors can then walk from the bus stop to the house.

It is important to note that visitors to Arlington National Cemetery and Arlington House should check for any current entry requirements and restrictions.

Nearby Airports

This is a list of primary airports in Virginia that have scheduled passenger service on commercial airlines.