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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Undated photo of a group of people gathered outside at night on a bricked patio or terrace. They wear name tags with photos of their younger selves. Class reunion? Photo 4.
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Independent Order of Odd Fellows? 150 Bank Street, Burlington? Photo #3.
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Ca. 1945 photo of a large group of men, participants in either a conference or a reunion, assembled in front of the Robert H. Fleming Museum.
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- Portraits - Unidentified Groups
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1951 or 1952 group photo of men and women gathered at a rustic restaurant. Knotty pine walls. A large gift wrapped present rests on the table in front of one man. Photo #3.
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1948 photo of the same group in maclB15F23i03 but a different view showing a group of 9 men and women. Posters on the wall may support the following scenario: General Home Equipment may be an in-home sales enterprise similar to Amway, and the people at the head of the table (the "pilots" referred...
Show more1948 photo of the same group in maclB15F23i03 but a different view showing a group of 9 men and women. Posters on the wall may support the following scenario: General Home Equipment may be an in-home sales enterprise similar to Amway, and the people at the head of the table (the "pilots" referred to int the poster) may be the top salespeople in their region. (The airplane imagery may allude to the Berlin Airlift, which started in June, 1948.) The poster on the right would certainly be appropriate for a sales campaign involving numerous independent salespeople.
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1945 photo of a group of men and women, very likely co-workers. Business and location are unknown. The sign in the back says, possibly, Lennox air conditioning, but there was no business in Burlington by that name.
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A large group of young people along with a few older adults gather at a rustic restaurant(?) for a special meal or event. Dated 1949 or 1950.
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Summer camp staff? Several small cottages seen in the background. One woman poses with a baseball bat. Photo #3.
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1949 portrait photo of a group of people along with two young boys gathered outside a home. Several baskets of flowers are lined up in front of them. Photo #1.
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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 #1.
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1953 indoor photo of four older men seated on a sofa with four older women standing directly behind them. Photo #2.
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1945 photo of a group of men and women, very likely co-workers. Business and location are unknown but a sign off to the left side in the back may provide some clues.
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Ca. 1947 photo of Sigma Nu fraternity at 57 So. Williams St., Burlington, Vt. (compare with mcalB19F31i04).
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1937 photo of a group of young women, with five male cooks and kitchen staff standing behind them. Location, occasion unknown.
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1945 photo of a private gathering of men and women, very likely business associates. Venue and occasion unknown.
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1952 photo of men seated at banquet tables in a public or commercial space. At the far end of the room it reads "Welcome" and has the medical symbol caduceus. Photo #2. See also mcalB16F05i08
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1952 group portrait photo of men and women (including chef) gathered around dining tables in a restaurant or other public or commercial space. The seated woman in print dress seen also in mcalB16F05i01, 04 and 05 images. Photo #3.
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1959 photo of men and women gathered in a room with knotty pine wall paneling. Identified in front row, right side Bea and Bob Earnshaw, Burlington residents. He was employed by the Burlington Rendering Company. Photo #2.
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Ca. 1946 photo of an elderly couple relaxing at home: the man reading The Corenco News; the woman sewing. Corenco apparently is a business but remains difficult to document in other standard sources.
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1947 photo of 4 men at the train station (seen in mcalB15F21i05). Identity of persons, venue, and occasion unknown.