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
- Description
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Mid 1940s photo of an older man working on the legs of a piece of furniture (cabinet?). The room has remnants of wallpaper and appears now to be a workshop. See also mcalB16F17i08.
- Title
- Portraits - Individuals
- Description
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Mid 1940s photo of an older woman seated by a window with vases of flowers. She sits in a corner of a room in front of a counter which holds more vases and a large platter.
- Title
- Portraits - Individuals
- Description
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1940s portrait photo of an elderly woman not smiling seated in a room in an upholstered chair. Photo #6?
- Title
- Portraits, children, unidentified
- Description
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A young girl sits at a piano in a living room setting. She is neatly and very well dressed.
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- Portraits, children, unidentified
- Description
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Two very young children seated in an overstuffed chair. A woman (perhaps Mom) seen to the far left. Lower left corner of photo labeled Store No. 397 Burlington, Vermont.
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- Portraits, families, unidentified
- Description
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A multi generation family gather around the sofa in a well furnished home for a portrait. See the same family also in mcalA15F03i03
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- Portraits, families, unidentified
- Description
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A multi generation family gather around the sofa in a well furnished home for a portrait. See the same family also in mcalA15F03i04
- Title
- Portraits, groups, unidentified
- Description
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A small group of young women gather in a common room lounging area. A TV is in one corner. The girls read or entertain themselves with two large plush stuffed animals.
- Title
- Portraits, groups, unidentified
- Description
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Ten young women relax in a common room lounging area reading magazines. A large portrait painting of a woman hangs on the wall.
- Title
- Portraits, groups, unidentified
- Description
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Uniformed (Catholic?) high school girls eat a meal at small cafeteria type lunch tables. High curtained windows are seen as well as a hard wood floor.
- Title
- Portraits, groups, unidentified
- Description
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A clergyman stands center surrounded by several older women dressed in evening gowns adorned with corsages. They all gather around a table covered with an elegant crocheted table cloth and set with what appears to be a silver tea / coffee service. A stage is seen behind.
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- Portraits, groups, unidentified
- Description
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Eight older women gather in a corner of a room for a group portrait. Room contains living room type furniture. Could this be a Bible study class?
- Title
- Portraits, groups, unidentified
- Description
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Five women relax in a large simply furnished common room lounging area reading magazines.
- Title
- Shelburne Museum
- Description
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Webb Trophy Room (now Shelburne Museum) showing a kitchen area with hearth, table and various wild creatures along with guns and rifles displayed hanging on the walls.
- Title
- Stores - Interiors - Unidentified
- Date Created
- 1944
- Description
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Blanket and drapery store, perhaps the one in mcalB18F29i01.
- Title
- Stores - Interiors - Unidentified
- Date Created
- 1945
- Description
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Office interior, with heavy wooden furniture, typewriter, phone, linoleum floor, large radiator, etc. Business unknown.
- Title
- Stores - Interiors - Unidentified
- Date Created
- 1945
- Description
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Office interior. Five women working in well-lighted, spacious office (business and location unknown).
- Title
- Stores - Interiors - Unidentified
- Date Created
- 1953
- Description
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Restaurant interior. Booths with Wall-O-Matic jukeboxes.
- Title
- Stores - Interiors - Unidentified
- Date Created
- 1953
- Description
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Booths in a restaurant (name and location unknown), with jukeboxes at each table. Painting or print of nature scene on the wall.
- Title
- UVM Fleming Museum
- Description
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Interior of the current Wilbur Room of the Fleming Museum, with a portrait of James Wilbur (1856-1929) above the fireplace. In effect the library of the museum, the room has bookcases and furniture suitable for leisurely reading, conversation, study, and meetings. The names of three prominent...
Show moreInterior of the current Wilbur Room of the Fleming Museum, with a portrait of James Wilbur (1856-1929) above the fireplace. In effect the library of the museum, the room has bookcases and furniture suitable for leisurely reading, conversation, study, and meetings. The names of three prominent figures in Vermont history appear on the east, south, and west vaults of the ceiling. They are: Stephen R. Bradley (1754-1830), Ira Allen (1751-1814), and Thomas Chittenden (1730-1797; not visible in this photo). (See also mcalA18F10i02.)
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