Custis-Lee Mansion: The Robert E. Lee Memorial, Virginia

by Murray H. Nelligan

The dining room.

The most valuable paintings were taken away by Mrs. Lee in 1861, but copies have been made for the restoration of this room. The sofa is original, as is the music cabinet near the piano. The woodwork and walls are finished off as Colonel Lee had them done in 1855.

THE HALL. A long hall extending from the front to the back was a common feature of Virginia houses of the period, because of the cooling draft of air it provided during hot weather. For this reason it was usually furnished with sofas and chairs and used as a summer parlor. The Lees and Custises would sit and converse here on warm summer evenings, or perhaps read the latest English novel aloud to each other. “The puss has appropriated the sofa in the parlor to himself, while I occupy that in the hall,” Mr. Custis observed humorously in a letter to his wife in 1831.

Characteristic of the Greek temples from which the mansion was adapted are the tall narrow doors at each end of the hall. The graceful round arches at the west end are typical of George Hadfield’s architectural work. High on the walls at this end are the spirited hunting frescoes painted by Mr. Custis himself. Elk and deer horns represent the collection of antlers begun by him when a lad at Mount Vernon. Suspended from the ceiling in the middle of the hall is a replica of the famous Mount Vernon lantern, the original of which hung here for more than 50 years. On the walls are copies of portraits once at Arlington, including one of George Washington painted by Mr. Custis.

The drawing room.

THE FAMILY PARLOR. From an early date three arches have divided the large room north of the hall into a family parlor and a small dining room. Originally, there were doors and a fanlight in the center arch, while those on the outside were filled in with lath and plaster, probably to make the rooms easier to heat. The twin Carrara marble mantels are original, and are said to have been ordered by Mr. Custis from Italy.

The family parlor was the favorite gathering place of the Lees and Custises, who entertained most of their guests in it even after the drawing room was completed. Here the family passed the winter evenings reading or listening to Mr. Custis’ interesting stories of his boyhood at Mount Vernon. Each Christmas it was the family custom to kindle the great yule log in the fireplace with the remains of that from the previous year. The wedding of Mary Custis and Robert E. Lee took place in this room.

The family parlor.