The story of Washington, the National Capital (1889) (14578193009)

Identifier: storyofwashingto00todd (find matches)
Title: The story of Washington, the National Capital
Year: 1889 (1880s)
Authors: Todd, Charles Burr, 1849-
Subjects: White House (Washington, D.C.) United States Capitol (Washington, D.C.)
Publisher: New York London : G.P. Putnam's Sons : Knickerbocker Press
Contributing Library: Lincoln Financial Foundation Collection
Digitizing Sponsor: The Institute of Museum and Library Services through an Indiana State Library LSTA Grant



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prominent feature ofthe landscape viewed from the Capitol or fromGeorgetown, and the view from the portico itself,which comprises the broad sweep of the river andthe beautiful capital city beyond, is one of the finestin the world. General Lee came into possession ofthe estate from having married Mary, the onlydaughter of its owner, George Washington ParkeCustis, the adopted son of General Washington.His family, consisting of a wife and six children—three boys and three girls—lived an ideal life in theold mansion, surrounded by every comfort and luxurythat wealth could supply. But early in the warthey were forced to leave their home, which wasseized and held by government. When the Unionsoldiers took possession in the spring of 1861 therewere a number of Washington relics in the mansion,which may now be seen in the National Museum. Arlington, being entailed property, could not beconfiscated, but was sold for taxes in 1864, and pur-chased by the nation for the sum of $23,000, and in
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ARLINGION MANSIO.N Hfciiil Pii 353 354 THE STORY OF WASHINGTON. the succeeding May was established as the first andlargest of the eighty-two military cemeteries whichthe government has set apart as the last resting-places of the heroic dead who died in the war forthe Union. Some years after, Mr. George W*C. Lee, the eldest son of the General, broughtsuit to recover the estate on the ground that ithad been illegally sold, and after long litigationestablished his claim. He then conveyed it tothe government for the sum of $150,000. Twohundred acres, enclosed by a low wall of ma-sonry, now comprise Arlington Cemetery. Itwould be difBcult to find a more beautiful, or elo-quent spot. Magnificent oaks of two hundred yearsgrowth shade its glades and knolls, amid whichdrives and walks wind picturesquely, leading thevisitor through beautiful green lawns, parterres offlowers and variegated plants, and past stately monu-ments of the dead. The dead are all about one here. In lowlygraves, marked ea