The Ethan Allen Homestead Museum in Burlington, Vermont, was the victim of a break-in and burglary overnight October 14-15, 2024, which resulted in the loss of over $3,700 of stolen and damaged museum property (including cash, electronics, and retail items).
Additionally, partner organizations who share the site, including a nonprofit environmental preservation organization and an early childhood education center, had an additional $3,000+ of stolen and damaged property.
Ethan Allen Homestead is a historic house museum built about 1787 by Ethan Allen, and is the only surviving residence of his in the state. Ethan Allen (1737/38–1789) was a writer, military officer and politician.
He is best known as one of the founders of Vermont and for the capture of Fort Ticonderoga during the American Revolution, and for his earlier leadership of the Green Mountain Boys, carried on a campaign of intimidation and property destruction to drive New York settlers from the disputed New Hampshire Grants.
Thieves broke through a locked window of the Hill Brownell Education Center, a building at the Homestead shared by the museum and the Burlington Forest Preschool, and continued to break through multiple locked doors, locked cabinets, and locked cash safes to swipe valuable business electronics including laptops, cell phones, and an iPad.
They also smashed all the nonprofit museum’s donation boxes to access the money inside – money donated for the historic preservation of the Allen House, Burlington’s oldest standing structure, and for the preservation of Abenaki culture in the Abenaki exhibit room. The thieves left behind blood on the broken cash register and fingerprints, which were collected by police. A police investigation is ongoing.
The museum’s Board of Directors and staff say they are assessing museum security and protocols going forward, and securing financial and digital data that may have been compromised. Those whose personal data may have been compromised have been contacted.
The museum is cooperating with police in their investigation and has opened an incident report with their insurance company. Museum staff do not yet know what damage will be covered by insurance, however, and which damage they must pay out-of-pocket.
General admission programming will continue daily, 10 am until 4 pm, through October 31st. Winter programming includes the continuation of the museum’s Free Monthly Lecture Series (which you can also watch on the museum’s YouTube channel) and curated group programs such as school field trips, and youth and senior group tours.
If you wish to contribute to the museum’s break-in recovery, and to their overarching mission, you may do so by becoming a Homestead Member or donating at https://ethanallenhomestead.
If you are interested in getting involved as a volunteer, please reach out to Executive Director Angie Grove at ethanallenhomestead@gmail.com.
Photo of Ethan Allen Homestead burglary provided.
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