Robert E. Lee’s former home in Arlington gets a makeover.
From 1818 to 1861, Arlington House, now formally known as the Robert E. Lee Memorial, was home to George Washington Parke Custis, grandson of Martha Washington through her first marriage, and later, the Civil War general Robert E. Lee. Today, with the help of a $12.35 million donation in 2014 from philanthropist David M. Rubenstein as part of the National Park Foundation’s Centennial Campaign for America’s National Parks, the house will undergo more than just a “brick and mortar” renovation.
“We’re really excited about the opportunity to renovate thanks to Mr. Rubenstein’s generous donation, what he calls ‘patriotic philanthropy,’” says park ranger Aaron Larocca. “This money will go toward enhancing the visitor experience and doing a real ‘soup to nuts’ rehabilitation of the property and the memorial.”
The house and estate, nestled in the center of Arlington National Cemetery, has a long history. Custis finished building the house in 1818. He envisioned the house as a memorial to his step-grandfather George Washington, displaying mementos from Washington’s life collected during Custis’ childhood at Mount Vernon. General Lee took ownership of the house in 1831 after marrying Mary Anna Randolph, Custis’ only surviving child. The Lees raised their children in the house, which overlooks the Potomac River and Washington, D.C., until April 22, 1861, when the family left the house following Lee’s resignation from the U.S. Army. After the family’s departure, Union troops took over the house, using its convenient location as a signal station, artillery post and office space.
The multi-million dollar renovation of the site includes physical reconstruction to the house and surrounding land, as well as the introduction of new virtual tours, available on the website for those who are unable to visit in person. A museum and bookstore complete with exhibits and new merchandise are also in the works, and each room in the house will be restored to its with period-appropriate furnishings—“just as it looked the day Lee and his family left it in 1861,” says Larocca.
In an effort to more accurately depict the lives and experiences of slaves on the estate, the National Park Foundation has additionally worked with scholars in what Larocca calls a “historian’s round-table,” where current scholarly research about the history of the African-American experience during this time was discussed to better navigate the renovation process.
“Our goal is to address the complete and complex history of the people who lived and worked on this estate, no matter how difficult the history can be sometimes,” said Larocca.
Arlington House is slated to reopen in Spring 2020. NPS.gov/arho
