The Allen Brothers: Original Vermont Developers

Little has been said about Ethan and Ira Allen’s activities as real estate developers. This presentation by Vincent Feeney explains the importance of real estate speculation in the colonies on the eve of the Revolution, how the grants system functioned in theory and in practice, how the Allens acquired thousands of acres in Vermont with little cash, how American independence ruined their real estate empire, and how Ira sought to recoup his fortune in schemes inimical to United States interests.