Learn About Arlington Memorial and Arlington House
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The grandson of Martha Washington – the child of her only son John Parke
Custis – inherited an estate from his father that spread over 1100 acres.
George Washington Parke Custis, was brought up, like his father, at Mount
Vernon, and his famous namesake has been a lifelong interest.
G. W. P. Custis had one of the architects who were involved in the designing
of the US Capitol, George Hadfield, create the plan for Arlington House
in 1818. Custis had already built two wings in 1803, and got Hadfield to
build his structure with an existing wing on each side. This structure was
made of bricks made nearby and, with its location on top of a rise, is visible
from many points in Columbia District. A distinctive portico is also present
– this feature of Arlington House measures 16' by 52', and is made up of
four pairs of stucco, marbelized brick columns in the Doric style. These
columns form a base for a huge pediment in the middle of the portico.
One of Mrs. Custis’ illustrious relatives was Robert E. Lee, and from boyhood
on, he often stayed at Arlington House. Lee married Mary Custis, the Custis’
sole daughter, and subsequently stayed here even more often. It was in Lee’s
bedroom at Arlington House that Lee made his historic decision to avoid
fighting against his own home state, Virginia, after this state seceded
from the Union. His momentous resolution to leave the US Army was made by
Robert E. Lee on April 19, 1861. He went away from Arlington three days
later, never to return.
Although confiscated estates carried a tax initiated by Congress in 1863,
taxes were not paid on Arlington House. Because of the failure to pay taxes,
it was put on the market in January 1864, and bought by the government of
the United States of America. A few months later, Edwin Stanton, the Secretary
of War, initiated the development of a national burial ground at Arlington.
By May 1864, some bodies had already been interred here. This cemetery is
known as Arlington Cemetery.
Arlington
House was identified as an appropriate memorial to Robert E.
Lee. Soon after, in 1928, the War Department undertook the restoration of
the house. Several spaces were provided with furniture, and some structural
alteration made. Arlington House, and its gardens, was taken over by the
National Park Service in 1933.
Situated in Arlington in Virginia, Arlington House is near the Lincoln Memorial
and the Memorial Bridge. Informative pamphlets are available, and these
are adequate for a clear understanding of the place’s history while visiting
Arlington House. Visitors can also learn about Arlington House from the
period costumed personnel of the National Park Activities Service, who can
be found in the main areas of the house. Between October and March, guided
tours of Arlington House are available. Visitor timings for Arlington House
are as follows:
The Memorial is open from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm between April and September,
and 9:30 am to 4:30 pm between October and March. Please note that Arlington
Memorial is shut on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. The Memorial can easily
be accessed from Metro stop Arlington Cemetery.
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