English: Standing on the driveway southeast of Arlington House, the Robert E. Lee Memorial, at Arlington National Cemetery. I'm looking northeast toward Washington, D.C.

The obelisk is the grave of Civil War General Philip Sheridan, who died in 1888. There was extensive controversy over the site of his grave. Some individuals wanted him buried at the Soldiers Home in northeast D.C., where it would be accessible by more people. But others advocated for Arlington National Cemetery, and they won the debate. He was buried in front of Arlington House, at the southeast corner of the front lawn. A large, squat grey granite obelisk bearing a bronze plaque with his likeness in profile was erected over his grave, and nearly all commentators agreed his grave added to the mansion's dignity.

That conclusion has not lasted. Four graves are located on the front lawn of Arlington House. The U.S. Army and the National Park Service would like to move the four graves (which includes L'Enfant's and Sheridan's) to another location in order to improve the view. But this controversial decision has not been implemented despite being made decades ago.

Sheridan's burial at Arlington helped to elevate the cemetery into a desirable resting place for the nation's highest ranking officers. But burying officers on the front lawn of the mansion quickly became controversial. In the late 1890s, cemetery officials placed a ban on any further burials on the lawn east of the mansion.

Access to the Sheridan grave site was gained by a concrete path and steps that led down to and around the marker. In 1931, the Sheridan grave was screened off with evergreens, and the concrete walk around it removed.

Leading away toward the city are Memorial Drive and Memorial Bridge, which link Arlington visually with the Lincoln Memorial.

Arlington House was built by George Washington Parke Custis, adopted son of George Washington, in 1803. George Hadfield, also partially designed the United States Capitol, designed the mansion. The north and south wings were completed between 1802 and 1804. but the large center section and portico were not finished until 1817.

George Washington Parke Custis died in 1857, leaving the Arlington estate and house to his eldest daughter, Mary Custis Lee -- wife of General Robert E. Lee.