Fort Ethan Allen was a United States Army installation in Essex and Colchester, Vermont. It was established in 1892 as a U.S. Army cavalry and field artillery training post on land once owned by American Revolutionary War figure Ethan Allen. The fort was named for him.

One of the largest cavalry and field artillery training posts in the United States, the fort included two 240-man cavalry barracks and an officers’ row with brick quarters, including a commander’s quarters, bachelor officer quarters, and duplex quarters for company-grade married officers. The officers’ row curved around a large central parade ground. Other buildings included an administration building with a library and reading room, a schoolroom, a court-martial room, and offices for the commanding officer, the adjutant, and their clerks; stables; a bakery; a hospital; and various sheds, shops, and storehouses. The post was laid out so that all principal buildings had a southerly view over the Winooski River Valley with Mount Mansfield and Camel’s Hump in the background. The fort could hold up to 8,000 people and 1,800 horses. A great stone water tower provided sufficient water for the post. The 3rd U.S. Cavalry first occupied the fort in September 1894.

A train spur was constructed in anticipation of the Fort’s construction. In 1905, the Fort was electrified, and an electric trolley was extended to the post that same year.

During World War I, the post was one of 15 designated officer training camps in the country, and the fort held as many as 8,000 troops. ROTC cadets from Norwich, Harvard, Yale, and the University of Massachusetts were among the trainees.

Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal gave Fort Ethan Allen a new role in 1933. The fort was made the headquarters for the Vermont Civilian Conservation Corps until 1938. Fort Ethan Allen was again used as a training post during World War II.

In 1944, the U.S. Army deactivated Fort Ethan Allen, which was then used as a storage depot. The Federal Housing Authority also used part of the Fort for civilian residents.

The Air Force took over in 1952 and became home to the 134th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron of the Vermont Air National Guard. The base was renamed Fort Ethan Allen Air Force Base. It closed down in 1960 and was declared surplus in 1962.

Afterward, 787 acres were given to the Vermont National Guard for its headquarters, now called Camp Johnson. The United States General Services Administration divided the remaining 400 acres of land and buildings. Saint Michael’s College and the University of Vermont signed a 1964 contract that gave them ownership of several acres and buildings. The University of Vermont received almost 50 acres, and Saint Michael’s College received about 40 acres for educational purposes. The State of Vermont also received 20 acres; the rest was sold to private developers.

The former grounds of Fort Ethan Allen now lie on the north side of Vermont Route 15, roughly split between southeastern Colchester and southwestern Essex. The grounds, comprising 130 acres, are organized around the sizeable elliptical parade ground located just North of the main road, which now serves as a community park. Beyond the park, various former military buildings and later structures can be found.

Since the Fort’s construction in 1894, the parade ground has been a central focus of the community. The 35-acre expanse of open fields lined the winding road of Officer’s Row. From their large front porches, the officers could watch special events on the parade ground, from concerts and cannon firings and troop reviews to tennis tournaments, baseball and football games, polo, and horse shows. This land was initially given over to the University of Vermont in 1964. In July 1991, the Vermont Housing and Finance Agency purchased it and signed it over to the Towns of Essex and Colchester to use as a park.

Fronting the parade ground along Dalton Drive are houses that initially served as officer housing. This land was part of the property given to the University of Vermont. The first structures seen from Route 15, these beautiful Colonial Revival-style homes, once housed commissioned officers in the Fort. The military’s social structure determined the placement of these regal, stately buildings. The dominance of Officer’s Row buildings reflected the importance of men and their families. Most of the 22 structures housed two families, but three were single-family units. These included the Commanding Officer’s Residence at 503 Dalton Drive, the Fort Surgeon’s house at 402 Dalton Drive, and the Mounted Services Officer’s Club and living quarters for the bachelor officers at 600 Dalton Drive.

The University of Vermont used these homes for several years as housing for faculty and staff. In 1979, they converted 17 of the buildings into dormitories to rectify a shortage of undergraduate housing. However, the university soon found that maintaining the structures proved too costly, and in 1988, it proposed selling them on the open market. However, this idea met strong resistance within the county, as officials cited the lack of housing and the need to preserve historic resources. Ultimately, developers bought the buildings and converted them into private condominiums. The restoration was beautifully done, and for the most part, Officers Row today looks very much as it did one hundred years ago. Unfortunately, a fire destroyed the Fort’s Administration Building in 1993.

Other buildings utilized by the University of Vermont include the Ethan Allen Apartments, which occupy six of the former non-commissioned officers’ quarters, originally built between 1894 and 1900. Six more were built in the 1930s. These apartments provide family housing on the East side of the Fort. The university also built the County Apartments in the open space between the enlisted men’s barracks and the back of the officers’ quarters, which married students used in the 1970s. Land adjacent to the County Apartments is home to Vermont Public Television, which leases the space from the university. The University of Vermont also owns many buildings near the tower, which are now used for storage.

St. Michaels College owns several of Fort Ethan Allen’s original buildings. The college used several barracks buildings, some of which were converted into classrooms and others that now serve as student dormitories.

The red-brick Colonial Revival-style Post Exchange was built in 1904 as a post office for base soldiers. It also has a barbershop and tailor shop on the second floor. It currently serves as a residential hall for sophomores called Linnehan Hall. The college also owns the Drill Hall, Herrouet Theater, and The Chapel, but these buildings are not currently used.

The Riding Hall, or Drill Hall as it is called today, was built in 1895. It was used for cavalry until 1944 for practice, exercise, and entertainment before the construction of Herrouet Theater. After 1944, the building was converted into a post-gymnasium. Today, the building is appreciated for its Romanesque Revival-style brick entrance.

The red brick Colonial Revival-style Herrouet Theater, built in 1933, provided the Fort community with a beautiful stage for dramatic entertainment. In the 1980s, the Repertory Theater Company used the space to hold its events. The Greek Revival-style base chapel, built in 1941, is located next to the Herrouet Theater at the center of the Fort.

The State of Vermont initially used the fort’s Veterinary Hospital, built in 1908, for its police headquarters. Its symmetry, red brick, stone lintels, and large arched doorways resemble the Romanesque Revival style in the Drill Hall. Vermont Public Radio bought the old hospital in 1994 and renovated it, making extensive changes, but it preserved the front and side facades.

The State Highway Department uses the former Air Force hangars and maintenance shops. The 1894 Guard House once held individuals under arrest awaiting trial and sentencing. Today, the building is used for apartments. The red-brick, two-and-a-half-story Base Hospital, built in 1894, has been converted into the Green Mountain Nursing Home. The Riding Hall was refurbished and now houses the Vermont Youth Orchestra. The stables and garages at the back of the fort are privately owned businesses.

The Fort Ethan Allen Museum is located at 11 Marcy Drive, in the former Pump House from the 1890s. It is open by appointment.

Fort Ethan Allen was nominated for the National Register of Historic Places in 1988, and the buildings’ majestic qualities earned the Fort district historic status. A small marker is attached to a boulder at the entrance to the officers’ row, and many historic buildings are marked.

©Kathy Alexander/Legends of America, updated October 2026.

Also See:

Vermont – The Green Mountain State

Destinations Across America

Forts Across the United States

Forts & Presidios Photo Gallery

Vermont Photo Gallery

Sources:

Fort Ethan Allen Museum
Fort Wiki
St. Michaels College
Wikipedia