Arlington House, The Robert E. Lee Memorial

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Arlington House, The Robert E. Lee Memorial, 28 acres (11 hectares), NE Va., in Arlington National Cemetery; est. 1955. Formerly called the Custis-Lee Mansion, it is a memorial to the Confederate General Robert E. Lee. Arlington house was the home of Lee, inherited by his wife, the daughter of George Washington Parke Custis. It was abandoned by the Lees early in the Civil War and was later used as headquarters for the Union army. The estate was confiscated for nonpayment of taxes, and c.200 acres (80 hectares) were set aside for a national cemetery in 1864. See National Parks and Monuments, table.