Louis L. McAllister Photographs
Collection Overview
Louis L. McAllister photographed people and places near Burlington, Vermont for 60 years. He was born in Columbus, Nebraska on October 16, 1876, the son of Julius S. McAllister (born 1841 in Lincoln, VT) and Rosette Gould (born in Vermont in 1851)...
Show moreLouis L. McAllister photographed people and places near Burlington, Vermont for 60 years. He was born in Columbus, Nebraska on October 16, 1876, the son of Julius S. McAllister (born 1841 in Lincoln, VT) and Rosette Gould (born in Vermont in 1851). Julius McAllister worked as a photographer and dentist in Washington D.C., Bristol, Vermont and Columbus, Nebraska. Around 1895, Julius, his third wife Amy, and their children left Nebraska for the Union Soldiers’ Colony in Fitzgerald, Georgia. By 1900, Julius and Amy were divorced, and Amy and her stepson Louis were working as photographers in Thomasville, Georgia.
In 1907 Louis McAllister married Cora Shepard (born about 1872 in Vermont) in Holland, Michigan. By 1910, they were living in Queen City Park in South Burlington, Vermont, where Louis established a photography studio. The McAllisters moved to Burlington, and by 1919 they lived at 47 N. Winooski Avenue. They continued to occupy a summer cottage at Queen City Park, and were active in the Queen City Park Association, which held spiritualist camp meetings annually. McAllister conducted his photography business from home until his death in 1963.
McAllister’s “trademark” was his panorama camera which made him familiar to all sorts of groups ranging from graduating classes to state police to summer camp groups. In addition he did print 8 x 10 photos, many of which document building construction and Burlington Street Department projects, as well as group and individual portraits.
The L.L. McAllister Collection includes portraits, construction projects, buildings, businesses and events in the Burlington area covering the period ca. 1920-1960. The collection also includes photos of street, bridge, airport and sewer construction and repair, as well as group portraits of clubs, schools, etc.
Revised April, 2010
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Related Archival Collection
Pages
- Title
- Shelburne Shipyard
- Description
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View while on the cradle hauled out on track looking toward the Marine Railway building at the Shelburne Shipyard. Undated but late 1920s, early 1930?
- Title
- Shelburne Shipyard
- Description
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Photo of the Marine Railway building and apparatus used in maneuvering the boats.
- Title
- Shelburne Shipyard
- Description
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Photo of the inside of the Marine Railway building at the Shelburne Shipyard. View of some of the machinery that maneuvers the boats.
- Title
- Shelburne Shipyard
- Description
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Exterior of the Maine Railway building showing some of the heavy chains and machinery used to maneuver the boats.
- Title
- State Health Building
- Description
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Fall 1952 - site of the State Health Building under construction. Listed as 115 Colchester Ave in 1954 city directory (currently 195 Colchester Ave.) ; to the left in background is Mann Hall of Trinity College also on Colchester Ave, Burlington, Vt.
- Title
- State Health Building
- Description
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Fall 1952 - site of the State Health Building being constructed at 115 Colchester Ave. (currently 195 Colchester Ave.) ; to the left in background is Mann Hall of Trinity College opposite the site also on upper Colchester Ave, Burlington, Vt.
- Title
- State Health Building
- Description
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Fall 1952 - site of the State Health Building under construction. Listed as 115 in 1954 city directory (currently 195 Colchester Ave.) ; to the left in background is Mann Hall of Trinity College also on upper Colchester Ave, Burlington, Vt.
- Title
- Stores - Abernethy's (Burlington, VT)
- Date Created
- 1945-1946
- Description
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Built on the site where George Perkins Marsh once lived, what would later be known simply as "Abernethy's" was first called "The Richardson" (built 1894), named after the pharmaceutical businessman Albert E. Richardson. It stands on the southeast corner of Pearl and Church Streets. After...
Show moreBuilt on the site where George Perkins Marsh once lived, what would later be known simply as "Abernethy's" was first called "The Richardson" (built 1894), named after the pharmaceutical businessman Albert E. Richardson. It stands on the southeast corner of Pearl and Church Streets. After Abernethy's, the department store, closed in 1983, the building was renovated and renamed "Richardson Place." The architectural style is known as "Scoto-French," apparently because of its blend of French chateau and Scottish castle features.
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- Title
- Stores - B.F. Goodrich (Burlington, VT)
- Date Created
- 1947
- Description
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114 Cherry Street. 3/4 view of the B.F. Goodrich store front, very likely removed during the urban renewal of the late 60s. Store next door is the Tick Tock Shoppe, now on Bank St.
- Title
- Stores - B.F. Goodrich (Burlington, VT)
- Date Created
- 1947
- Description
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114 Cherry Street: Direct view of B.F. Goodrich store, with an unidentifiable machine propping the door open. On the far right is a parking lot inside the uppermost block of Church Street. (A young boy peers through the store windows.) This section of Cherry St. has been rebuilt and consists of...
Show more114 Cherry Street: Direct view of B.F. Goodrich store, with an unidentifiable machine propping the door open. On the far right is a parking lot inside the uppermost block of Church Street. (A young boy peers through the store windows.) This section of Cherry St. has been rebuilt and consists of government offices, Borders books, and other retail stores.
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- Title
- Stores - F.W. Woolworth (Burlington, VT)
- Date Created
- 1945
- Description
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Church Street (37-39). Well-stocked window displays invite shoppers to this three-story F.W. Woolworth on the corner of Church and Cherry St., which would eventually become the largest Woolworth in New England. Looking somewhat like the woolen mills in Winooski, this older structure was replaced...
Show moreChurch Street (37-39). Well-stocked window displays invite shoppers to this three-story F.W. Woolworth on the corner of Church and Cherry St., which would eventually become the largest Woolworth in New England. Looking somewhat like the woolen mills in Winooski, this older structure was replaced by a modern one in 1964. Woolworth started closing its Vt. stores in the 1990s, the Church St. store closing in March, 1998.
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- Title
- Stores - F.W. Woolworth (Burlington, VT)
- Date Created
- 1949-1950
- Description
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37-39 Church Street. Crowded display of discount merchandise in this interior photo of F.W. Woolworth Co. on the corner of Church and Cherry St., Burlington, Vt.
- Title
- Stores - First National Stores (Burlington, VT)
- Date Created
- undated
- Description
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Church Street : According to the city directory, First National had a store at 50 Church, Burlington, Vt.--or at least a meat dept. manager (Ulysse Campbell) at that address--until 1940/41. Storefront signs show prices for both meats and groceries.
- Title
- Stores - IGA (Burlington, VT)
- Date Created
- 1936
- Description
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1936. Similar to mcalB18F20i03, this photo shows 2 additional men, and all are wearing hats. Building is Burlington Grocery Co., 47-49 Maple St., Burlington, Vt.
- Title
- Stores - IGA (Burlington, VT)
- Date Created
- 1936
- Description
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1936 photo of cars (1930s Chevrolet?) parked in front of Burlington Grocery Co., 47-49 Maple St., Burlington, Vt.
- Title
- Stores - IGA (Burlington, VT)
- Date Created
- 1945
- Description
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IGA storefront with, probably, owner and staff in doorway. Name of store unfortunately unreadable because of glare but could be Alarie's or Burns's.
- Title
- Stores - IGA (Burlington, VT)
- Date Created
- 1936
- Description
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Employees and/or management of Burlington Grocery Co. standing in front of their respective cars (seen in mcalB18F20i04). These appear to be some of the same men seen in mcalB18F20i03. Cars may be Chevrolets, perhaps '34 or '35 models.
- Title
- Stores - IGA (Burlington, VT)
- Date Created
- 1936
- Description
-
1936. (See mcalB18F20i03) Management team of Burlington Grocery Co., 47-49 Maple St., Burlington, VT. The Burl. City Directory listed the following administrative positions: Sam C. Blodgett, pres.; Edward F. Holbrook, vice pres.; and treas. William F. Holbrook.
- Title
- Stores - IGA (Burlington, VT)
- Date Created
- 1937
- Description
-
1937. A duplicate of mcalB18F20i06, this photo shows 10 men, all administrators and employees of Burlington Grocery Co., 47-49 Maple St., Burlington, Vt.
- Title
- Stores - IGA (Burlington, VT)
- Date Created
- 1945
- Description
-
IGA storefront in Burlington, Vt. (City Directory of 1946 does not list this business.) Identity of couple uncertain but very likely the owner and a customer.