Ethan Allen Homestead, Burlington

The Ethan Allen Homestead is a historic house museum which offers a direct connection to one of Vermont’s most influential early figures. Built around 1787, this modest farmhouse stands as the only surviving residence of Ethan Allen, a key leader in securing Vermont’s independence and eventual statehood. Set within the Winooski River valley, the property once formed part of Allen’s extensive 1,400-acre farm, reflecting both his ambitions as a land speculator and his later life as a settler. Recognized for its historical importance, the homestead was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986 and is open to visitors from May through October.

The house itself is simple yet telling, a 1½-story post-and-beam structure with a gabled roof and clapboard exterior. Its symmetrical façade, centered doorway, and understated detailing reflect practical 18th-century design, while inside, the Georgian-style layout reveals how early Vermont families organized their living space.

Although the original central chimney is no longer in place, the interior still conveys a sense of everyday life on the frontier. Surrounded by open grounds and positioned between the river and nearby roadways, the homestead today functions as both a museum and a park, where visitors can walk the landscape, take in the quiet riverside setting, and better understand the life and legacy of one of Vermont’s founding figures.