National Park Service Page NPS tour information NPS Foundation Page Arlington House, The Robert E. Lee Memorial, located in Arlington National Cemetery, was the home of the Confederate General in the years leading up to the Civil War. Here, in 1861, General Lee wrote the letter resigning his commission from the U.S. Army to fight for his native Virginia. Allow one hour to see the house and grounds.
Admission is free.
The house is a stop on Tourmobile's Arlington Cemetery tour. The house was built by George Washington Custis, grandson of Martha Washington by her first marriage to Daniel Park Custis. Robert E. Lee married Custis' daughter and lived in the house for 30 years. In 1861, he was offered the position of General of the United States Army. His personal connections with the South caused him to sever his military affiliations with the United States and join the Confederate States.