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
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- Portraits - Unidentified Groups
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Mid 1950s photo of young people with several adults gathered in a rustic restaurant. Overhead hangs a wooden log chandelier. See mcalB16F07i08 for a 1953 photo of another group. Photo #1.
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- Portraits - Unidentified Groups
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1945 photo of a group of men and women in a restaurant of other dining facility. Identity of group, venue, and occasion are unknown.
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- Portraits - Unidentified Groups
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Large group of men and women gathered in a room perhaps at a restaurant for a portrait. Print made from damaged negative. Photo #6. Dated 1949.
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1949 photo of a group of well dressed ladies sitting at dining tables in a popular restaurant with a rustic interior. They seemed to be enjoying dessert. The room is paneled in knotty pine and has hard wood floors. Photo #2.
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- Portraits - Unidentified Groups
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1945 photo of a group of women (see mcalB15F17i08) at a restaurant or other dining facility. Identity of the group, venue, and occasion are unknown.
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- Portraits - Unidentified Groups
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Ca. 1947 photo of restaurant scene, with perhaps a family celebration in progress. Identity of persons, venue, occasion unknown.
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- Portraits - Unidentified Groups
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1951 group of young people and adults seated at dining tables at a rustic restaurant. Knotty pine walls, hard wood floor, chandelier made from wooden logs with horns and a mirror ball attached. Photo #3.
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- Portraits - Unidentified Groups
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1953 photo of five older men standing behind a banquet or restaurant table. Other men seated at tables on either side of them.
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- Portraits - Unidentified Groups
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1951 or 1952 portrait photo of young people with several adults gathered at a rustic restaurant. Knotty pine walls, wooden log chandelier. Photo #3.
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- Portraits - Unidentified Groups
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Ca. 1947 photo of a restaurant scene, with an elderly foursome (right) offering a toast (milestone anniversary?).
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- Portraits - Unidentified Groups
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1953 indoor group portrait photo of men and women in a restaurant. Captains' chairs seen in foreground. Photo #2.
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- Portraits - Unidentified Groups
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Underexposed 1953 group portrait photo of men and women gathered in a restaurant with bold patterned wallpaper and printed curtains. A television has been added as seen in the upper right corner.
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- Portraits - Unidentified Groups
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1956 or 1957 indoor Christmas group portrait photo of men and women gathered in a rustic restaurant with knotty pine walls. Overhead hangs a tissue paper bell and pine bows decorate the dining tables as well as candles and a small Santa. Photo #2.
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- Portraits - Unidentified Groups
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1951 or 1952 photo of a group of men and women gathered at a rustic restaurant. Candles, greenery and pine cones decorate the tables. The women wear what may be Christmas corsages. Photo #3.
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- Portraits - Unidentified Groups
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1953 indoor group portrait photo of several men and women gathered at a restaurant. Captain's chairs seen in foreground. Photo #3.
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- Portraits - Unidentified Groups
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Ca. 1946 photo of large group of men dressed in suits, gathered in a restaurant or other dining facility for a portrait. Identity of group, location, and occasion are unknown.
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- Portraits - Unidentified Groups
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1952 portrait photo of several people seated at a banquet table at a restaurant or other public or commercial space. The seated woman in print dress seen also in mcalB16F05i01, i03 and i12 images Photo #4.
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- Portraits - Unidentified Groups
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1949 or 1950 group portrait of women and four men at dining tables at a restaurant.
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- Portraits - Unidentified Groups
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1949 photo of a group of well dressed ladies sitting at dining tables in a popular restaurant with a rustic interior. They seemed to be enjoying dessert. The room is paneled in knotty pine, wooden log chandelier with horns and hard wood floors. A white upright piano to the far right. Photo #3.
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- Portraits - Unidentified Groups
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1951 or 1952 photo of men and women seated in a rustic restaurant with knotty pine walls. In the far right corner of the photo is seen the tips of branches of a Christmas tree decorated with tinsel.