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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Mar. 18, 1940. This view shows the Snow King Rotary Snow Plow in section mounted on the front of the Street Department's Walter's Snow Fighter Truck in front of the Post Office on Main Street. Note the discharge spout delivering snow over the high side boards of the five cubic yard truck. This...
Show moreMar. 18, 1940. This view shows the Snow King Rotary Snow Plow in section mounted on the front of the Street Department's Walter's Snow Fighter Truck in front of the Post Office on Main Street. Note the discharge spout delivering snow over the high side boards of the five cubic yard truck. This loader is capable of loading a five cubic yard load in less than one-half minutes and has frequently loaded one hundred-five cubic yard truck loads of new fallen snow in approximately one and one-half hours working time including delays because of traffic and street intersections clean up.
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Undated (may be late 1920s or early 1930s) overhead view of the continuation of asphalt application over the old brick pavement on Main Street between South Winooski Ave. and Church Street. Note the old trolley car tracks which are being covered up. Cable wires are still strung and barely visible...
Show moreUndated (may be late 1920s or early 1930s) overhead view of the continuation of asphalt application over the old brick pavement on Main Street between South Winooski Ave. and Church Street. Note the old trolley car tracks which are being covered up. Cable wires are still strung and barely visible overhead. On the right is the Post Office. Further up the street is the Strong Theatre building.
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Show moreSeptember 1, 1929 dated photo. Main Street looking west from the easterly side of South Winooski Ave. just before resurfacing with stone filled sheet asphalt paving. Note the old trolley (cable) car tracks and overhead wires which have been abandoned, also note the irregular and worn condition of the old brick pavement. Strong Theatre, Post Office and mansard roofed building (167-169 Main) that once was a place of worship for the First Baptist Church on the left. Retail businesses on the right. Automobiles parked on both sides of the street. In the far right foreground a man leans against a street light pole.
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Show moreMay, 5, 1943. Rail Removal Project, Burlington, Vermont. This view shows 3 stages of the project on Main St. in front of the U.S. Post Office (on the left). In the foreground can be seen the concrete base which is just being poured in the trench on the right and the sub-base ready to receive the concrete in the trench on the left, also 6 inch header at point of switch. The trench on the right beyond the header is ready for the rail to be removed. The rail is being removed in the background from the trench on the left by aid of the "A" frame and derrick. 2 inch hot asphalt plant mix will be constructed on top of the concrete base to finish the pavement. Also on the left center is the mansard roofed building that once was a place of worship for the First Baptist Church. Across the street from that building is seen a corner of the City Hall. On the right are businesses including the Federal Savings and Loan.
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