Established as a cavalry post in 1894 and closed in 1944, today it is the center of a designated national historic district straddling the town line between Colchester and Essex.

Locally, it is known simply as "The Fort", and now houses a Vermont National Guard installation a variety of businesses, academic institutions, and residential areas.

The former grounds of Fort Ethan Allen stand on the north side of Vermont Route 15, roughly divided in half between southeastern Colchester and southwestern Essex.

A cluster of buildings at the far eastern end of the property includes one that has been converted into a museum recounting the fort's history.

[2] Fort Ethan Allen was authorized by Congress in 1892, which had decided that some measure of permanent defense should be established in the vicinity of the Canada–United States border.