Georgetown also became noted for the many fine houses which were built there, such as Tudor Place, Woodley, the Oaks, Montrose, the Bowie Mansion, and Bellevue, later known as the Rittenhouse Mansion. In the early days, while houses in the new Federal City were being built, many Members of Congress preferred to travel the dusty road from the Capitol to Georgetown because of the suitable residences there in which they could live. Among the mansions near Georgetown, to be mentioned here, is Arlington Mansion (described fully on page 309), built in 1802 by George Washington Parke Custis, the adopted son of President Washington. The original Arlington estate comprised 6,000 acres. The design of the portico of the house resembles that of the Temple of Theseus at Athens, which stands to-day one of the best-preserved buildings of antiquity. Mr. Custis lived there till his death in 1857. He entertained Lafayette at Arlington during his visit to the United States in 1824. FRANCIS SCOTT KEY MANSION The Francis Scott Key Mansion, at Georgetown, stands remodeled as a store building on old Bridge Street, now M Street, one-half block from the Francis Scott Key Bridge. Originally it was a 3-story “colonial” brick building, which stood there as such until about the year 1917, when the Francis Scott Key Bridge was built to replace the old Aqueduct Bridge. Entering the front door at the left of the building, there was a spacious hall extending through the entire house. At the right of the hall were two large parlors. In the basement was the dining room, kitchen, and “cold room,” a room bricked up and used as a refrigerator and pantry. In the second story were two large bedrooms and a large hall. The third story contained four bedrooms. The window frames were small, 4 by 6 inches, supported in heavy sashes, as was the custom in building such houses. In the rear of the house was a beautiful garden, which sloped gracefully to the river. The Chesapeake & Ohio Canal was later built through it. This area is now occupied by factories, warehouses, and store buildings. [Illustration: FRANCIS SCOTT KEY HOUSE] Mr. Key, an attorney and poet, lived here with his family many years, and resided here at the time of the bombardment of Fort McHenry. Near by was his law office, a little brick building. [Illustration: HOUSE OF THE EARLY DAYS IN GEORGETOWN ON OLD BRIDGE (M) STREET]