ARLINGTON COUNTY, Va. – Arlington County is changing its logo to remove a stylized version of its namesake mansion because of its ties to Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee.
The county announced Wednesday that its County Board voted unanimously to adopt a new logo. The current depicts the pillars of Arlington House, a mansion overlooking the Potomac River that was Lee’s home before the Civil War.
The home’s history dates back to George Washington’s adopted son, George Washington Parke Custis. Lee married into the Custis family and took over management of the plantation and its slaves.
County officials say they want a logo that better reflects the county’s values. A new logo will be chosen after a citizen-input process.
The change comes as Confederate names and symbols are removed from schools, roads and parks across Virginia and the South.
It also comes shortly after northern Virginia congressional members introduced legislation to end the official designation of Arlington House, a National Park Service site surrounded by Arlington National Cemetery - as a “Robert E. Lee Memorial.”