Fort Myer in Arlington in Arlington County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Guardian of a Nation's Heritage
Arlington House, The Robert E. Lee Memorial
| | National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior | |
Photographed by Allen C. Browne, November 29, 2013
1. Guardian of a Nation's Heritage Marker
Selina Gray, her husband, and their eight children lived in the room to your right. She was Mrs. Lee's personal maid and later the head housekeeper. Her parents had been Mt. Vernon slaves, so she grew up steeped in the lore of George Washington.
In May of 1861 on the eve of the Civil War, Mrs. Lee abandoned her home. She left the household keys with Mrs. Gray, entrusting her with the Washington Treasury, cherished heirlooms that once belonged to George and Martha Washington (Mrs. Lee's great grandmother.) By assuming stewardship of these revered artifacts, Mrs. Gray became, in a broad sense, the guardian of the heritage of the young nation.
Erected by National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • War, US Civil • Women. A significant historical month for this entry is May 1861.
Location. 38° 52.859′ N, 77° 4.377′ W. Marker is in Arlington, Virginia, in Arlington County. It is in Fort Myer. It can be reached from Sherman Drive 0.2 miles south of Lincoln Drive, on the left when traveling south. The marker is in front of the old slave quarters behind Arlington House in Arlington Cemetery. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 321 Sherman Drive, Fort Myer VA 22211, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the Washington Metropolitan Area and in Northern Virginia. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Upper South, and in the Mid-Atlantic. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers.
this page online
Other markers no longer nearby. Selina Gray (was here, next to this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it); The Kingdom of My Childhood (was a few steps from this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it); The Arlington Woodlands (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been permanently removed); The Flower Garden (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been confirmed missing).
Related marker. Click here for another marker that is related to this marker. This marker has replaced the linked marker.
Also see . . . Arlington House, The Robert E. Lee Memorial. National Park Service (Submitted on December 1, 2013.)
Photographed by Allen C. Browne, November 29, 2013
2. Guardian of a Nation's Heritage Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on February 1, 2023. It was originally submitted on November 30, 2013, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland. This page has been viewed 726 times since then and 25 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on November 30, 2013, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.
