Arlington House, The Robert E. Lee Memorial
Also known as: Custis-Lee Mansion
Why it's listed
Arlington House is a Greek Revival mansion on a rise above the Potomac, facing Washington, D.C. George Washington Parke Custis, foster son of George Washington, began building it in 1803 with the north wing, added the south wing in 1804, and finished the two-story center about 1817-18. It is believed to be the work of architect George Hadfield. The brick walls are stuccoed and scored to imitate stone, and eight Doric columns carry a large pediment across the front. Robert E. Lee married Custis's daughter Mary and treated the house as home for about 30 years. Six of their seven children were born there. On April 19, 1861, Lee decided in an upstairs bedroom to resign from the U.S. Army, and the family left soon after. The federal government acquired the estate in 1864, and a national cemetery was established on the grounds. Congress later authorized a memorial to Lee, and restoration began in 1928. The National Park Service has managed the house since 1933.
Significance in brief: Congressional legislation designates the house as a memorial to Robert E. Lee, who lived there for about 30 years until he resigned his U.S. Army commission in 1861. It is also tied to George Washington Parke Custis, the step-grandson and adopted son of George Washington. The form further calls it an outstanding example of early Greek Revival architecture, likely designed by George Hadfield.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 66000040, listed October 15, 1966. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington |
|---|---|
| County | Arlington County |
| Listed | October 15, 1966 |
| Reference number | 66000040 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1803-61 |
| Architect / builder | George Hadfield |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Areas of significance | Military, Architecture |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Operated as a museum and park under the National Park Service. Many original or historically associated Custis and Lee furnishings are on display. The house was restored beginning in 1928 and transferred to the National Park Service in 1933. |
| Acreage | 27.9 |
| Coordinates | 38.88038, -77.07384 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 66000040.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q675702
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.