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ground that george washington customeris george washington's grandchild the child he raised as his own son, when he inherited this property he built the arlington house on this ground we're standing on now that was the absolutely dominant terrain over the district of columbia. so at the start of the civil war in 1861 there's a military necessity that the army seize this property in order to defend washington -- >> the union army seize the property. >> yeah. >> reporter: the nation began memorializing its war dead at arlington in 1868. five years later an amphitheater was built to hold official memorial day ceremonies. >> this is the original amphitheater that was constructed in 1873. so five years -- so it was ready in time for the fifth decoration day. and on this rostrum every president essentially from 1873 through 1919 would have given a memorial day address here.