Ebenezer Allen, a cousin of the famous Ethan Allen, in 1783 became South Hero's first resident. In 1789, Ethan came out here by wagon on a cold February day to buy hay from his cousin. After liquid refreshments with some old associates at Ebenezer's inn, Ethan set off for home, and apparently suffered a fatal stroke. Today South Hero is home to more than 1,500 year round residents, many of whom work "off the island" primarily in neighboring Chittenden County. Like its sister towns in Grand Isle County, South Hero has long been a hidden treasure, a tranquil stretch of farmland with breathtaking vistas, a summer paradise within 20 minutes drive of Burlington. But like other outlying communities, it has come under increased growth pressure, with more and more people looking to this island as an escape from suburban Chittenden County.
