What Is Arlington House?
The Arlington House is also called the Robert E. Lee Memorial, because the famed Confederate General called this place his home before the Civil War!
What Makes It Historical?
I don’t take pictures in cemeteries, so I had to look on from afar. From what I could see, it is a striking building on a hill with gorgeous Doric columns, built not of marble but of hydraulic cement finished to look like marble! It is surrounded, of course, by the stark white headstones of Arlington National Cemetery, one of the most beautiful cemeteries I’ve ever seen!
Arlington House was built by George Washington Parke Custis, the step-grandson of our first President, largely as a memorial to his ancestor and a place to house his relics! When the Lee family lived here, it was a place dedicated to children; in fact, Robert E. Lee only missed ten Christmases in the thirty years he and his family inhabited Arlington House, a truly remarkable record for a soldier! The family had to leave when Lee chose his state over his country and left his house in a sticky situation, perched right over the Union capital!
How Can I #HelpTheHelpers?
- Pay the entrance fee to help maintain trails, signs, structures, and other visitor services!
- Volunteer with the Arlington House Foundation!
- Donate to the Arlington House Foundation!
- Be a responsible visitor! Remember the old adages: Pack out what you pack in! Take nothing but pictures and leave nothing but footprints!
How Do I Get There?
Park at the Arlington Cemetery visitor center, just west of the intersection of Jefferson Davis Highway and Memorial Avenue; you can also get off at the Arlington Cemetery stop on the Metro Blue Line! From there, you will see Arlington House, so just walk about ten minutes, and you’ll be there! The official address is:
321 Sherman Dr
Fort Myer, VA 22211
(Take Me There!)
When Should I Visit the Park?
The Arlington House is open daily from 9:00 AM until 4:30 PM! (It’s open until 5:00 during summer months!)