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
- Portraits, individuals, unidentified
- Description
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A mature woman wears a long dress and sits in an upholstered chair in the corner of a living room in front of a curtained window with potted plants; perhaps her home. A fireplace is seen to the left. See the same woman also in mcalA16F01i05, i07, i08
- Title
- Portraits, individuals, unidentified
- Description
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A mature woman wears a long dress and sits in an upholstered chair in the corner of a living room in front of a curtained window with potted plants; perhaps her home. She has removed her eyeglasses. A fireplace is seen to the left. See also mcalA16F01i05, i06, i08
- Title
- Portraits, individuals, unidentified
- Description
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A mature woman wears a long dress and sits in a wooden chair in the corner of a living room in front of a curtained window with potted plants; perhaps her home. A fireplace is seen to the left. See the same woman in a different dress also in mcalA16F01i05, i06, i08
- Title
- Portraits, individuals, unidentified
- Description
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A mature woman sits at a drop leaf table with a silver tea and coffee set. A pine corner cupboard displays more silver items such as bowls, and platters. A family photo is also seen on the upper shelf of the cupboard. Photo #4. 1959, see mcalB16F17i06 for same dated photo.
- Title
- Portraits, individuals, unidentified
- Description
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This is a very dark printing of a photo a young woman playing the piano. This looks to be a double exposure or print as the woman is also seen looking up in the lower half of the image.
- Title
- Queen City Park, So. Burlington
- Description
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Photo of building in Queen City Park in So Burlington, Vermont. It has a long open porch, two stories and is surrounded by trees.
- Title
- Queen City Park, So. Burlington
- Description
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Photo of a building surrounded by trees and other summer vegetation has a long open porch and shingle siding. Porch shades are rolled up and tied. Straight back rocking chairs are seen on the open deck.
- Title
- Queen City Park, So. Burlington
- Description
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A large building is seen through its surrounding trees in summer. To the right a striped canvas provides a covered entry way.
- Title
- Queen City Park, So. Burlington
- Description
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A large elegant building in Queen City Park, So. Burlington, Vermont is shaded by elm and other trees in this summer time photo. Open porches are seen on each end of the building. Canvas canopies on the porch on the right can provide shade from the sun.
- Title
- Queen City Park, So. Burlington
- Description
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Front view of a two story clapboard house located in Queen City Park with an open front porch and center front steps. Striped awnings are attached to the front porch and to the two upper story windows. Shingles cover the lower portion of the front porch. The number 96 is visible on the front of...
Show moreFront view of a two story clapboard house located in Queen City Park with an open front porch and center front steps. Striped awnings are attached to the front porch and to the two upper story windows. Shingles cover the lower portion of the front porch. The number 96 is visible on the front of the house. Same house as mcalA11F16i21 and i22
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- Title
- Queen City Park, So. Burlington
- Description
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Smith Cottage, Queen City Park, South Burlington, Vermont. See an earlier photo mcalA11F16i01
- Title
- Queen City Park, So. Burlington
- Description
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God and Our Country is inscribed on this elaborate fireplace. The floor is covered with debris. A pool of water is formed on the floor in front. The brick chimney behind the fireplace facade is exposed through a picture frame type opening. Has there been a fire?
- Title
- Queen City Park, So. Burlington
- Description
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Photo of a long open porch on which a woman sits with her pet. Shingle siding seen to the left. Overhead tree trunks or limbs are part of the porch roof structure.
- Title
- Queen City Park, So. Burlington
- Description
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Trees in summer foliage surround this building in Queen City Park, So. Burlington, Vermont. Steps lead to an open porch. A clear story type upper element of the structure can be seen through the trees. A foot path seems to lead down a steep decline on the right of the photo.
- Title
- Queen City Park, So. Burlington
- Description
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View of a rocky open space along side a long shingle sided building with an open porch and a tall flag pole. In the distance is a sitting area in which to relax and Lake Champlain.
- Title
- Queen City Park, So. Burlington
- Description
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Photo of a large elegant three story building in Queen City Park, So. Burlington, Vermont. To the right is a covered carriage park area complete with a cupola type structure on top partially hidden by the surrounding trees.
- Title
- Road Construction
- Description
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July 12, 1933. View of a residential street in Burlington.
- Title
- Sewer Projects
- Description
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April 24, 1931. View of long dry narrow trench as it stretches across a residential area at a sewer project site. Homes can be seen in the background.
- Title
- Sewer Projects
- Description
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October 7, 1946. Members of a crew work in a large trench at a sewer project site. The home of a resident is seen to the left.
- Title
- Shelburne Museum
- Description
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Spring photo of the Shelburne Museum Prentis House. Shown next to the house is a stone well and its long pole. Lilacs are in bloom.