Montpelier VT – Burlington Part 1

Montpelier is pretty close to Burlington, 40 miles away. Although “pretty close” in Vermont has a very different meaning than “pretty close” in Massachusetts.

But, we didn’t mind driving the distances because the roads are so scenic, with lots of pretty mountains in the distance.

Burlington, Vermont, was chartered in 1763 and quickly grew from a frontier settlement established by folks like Ira Allen into a major 19th-century lumber and manufacturing port. Today, it is Vermont’s largest city, blending its rich Victorian-era architectural history with a vibrant, progressive, and arts-focused culture.

Ethan Allen (1738–1789) was a colorful America frontiersman, philosopher and Revolutionary War hero. He is best known for leading the Green Mountain Boys to capture Fort Ticonderoga in 1775 and for his pivotal role in the founding and ultimate statehood of Vermont. His homestead is located just outside of Burlington.

The docents at the Homestead were very knowledgeable about Ethan Allen. The funniest thing they told us was that they get lots of calls, thinking this is the Ethan Allen furniture store.

Burlington is very much Northern Vermont. It gets COLD up here! I can’t imagine living here in the 1700’s, in a wood house with no insulation and just a fireplace for warmth. The Vermonters must have been very hardy souls.

Here is the Ethan Allen, along with our intrepid Mr. Ken posing outside.

The tipis (and traditional wigwams) at the Ethan Allen Homestead Museum are part of a recreated Abenaki village called Negôni Alnôbaakik.This village was built as an educational exhibit to honor the rich Indigenous history of the region and to showcase how Native Americans lived in Vermont.

Have you ever been to the Ethan Allen Homestead? If so, what did you think?