Arlington House, also known as the Custis-Lee Mansion, stands on a hill within Arlington National Cemetery, offering one of the finest views of Washington across the Potomac. Built between 1803 and 1818 by George Washington Parke Custis (stepgrandson of George Washington), it became the home of Robert E. Lee after his marriage to Custis's daughter.
Lee left the house in April 1861 to command Confederate forces and never returned. The Union Army seized it early in the Civil War, and burials in the grounds began in 1864 — the origin of Arlington National Cemetery. The house is managed by the National Park Service and is free to enter.