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 - Children
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1956 / 1957 portrait photo of an infant sitting in a chair.
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- Portraits - Children
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1946 or 1947 photo of the same baby girl seated on a small table posing for a portrait with a plush toy. Her lovely dress has been removed and she wears only her panites and a locket around her neck.
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- Portraits - Children
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Two images of the same infant placed in the corner of a couch for a portrait photo. Dated 1944. See also mcalB14F01i09 with who may be child's mother and grandmother.
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- Portraits - Children
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1945 Christmas portrait of toddler standing in front of a Christmas tree and presents in a living room. Note: Western Electric metal nondial space-saver wall telephone (1930-1957) with answer only capability seen to the right.
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- Portraits - Children
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1946 or 1947 photo of same baby girl seated on a small table posing for a portrait. She glances to the side while she holds tightly to her stuffed toy panda bear .
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- Portraits - Children
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Three young children pose next to their Christmas tree with gifts. The girl holds a small hard plastic doll that may be a Vogue Ginny popular in the 1950s. Other presents are arranged in a display around the tree and on the upholstered chair in which the boys sit. See also mcalB14F11i08
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- Portraits - Children
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1946 or 1947 photo of a Christmas tree in a living room next to a fireplace. An infant rests on a sofa to the left. The mirror over the mantle reflects a mother standing nearby.
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- Portraits - Children
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1946 or 1947 photo of a young girl in the living room seated in an upholstered chair with her dolls and the family dog.
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- Portraits - Children
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Four children pose by their Christmas tree in the living room of their home. The two younger children sit in chairs. Their older brother stands in the back next to his older sister. Wooden skis and two large teddy bears seen. Same family as seen in mcalA14F15i19 and in mcalB14F10i03.
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- Portraits - Children
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1946 or 1947 photo of an infant in a baby jumper seat surrounded with plush toys. Setting is a living room with Christmas tree behind.
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- Portraits - Children
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Four children pose by their Christmas tree in the living room of their home. The two children seated on the floor each hold a toy; a metal spinning top and a doll. The boy standing in the back holds the family dog and the older girl proudly wears her "poodle" skirt with Scottie. See also...
Show moreFour children pose by their Christmas tree in the living room of their home. The two children seated on the floor each hold a toy; a metal spinning top and a doll. The boy standing in the back holds the family dog and the older girl proudly wears her "poodle" skirt with Scottie. See also mcalA14F15i19
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- Title
- Portraits - Children
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1951 photo of same children seen in 1949 photo mcalB14F05i15. Seen here during another Christmas with their toys. Older girl holds two dolls. Other dolls sit in a toy highchairs. Youngest holds the handle of a baby carriage. Holiday cards adorn the fireplace mantle. Another photo is mcalB14F06i07
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- Portraits - Children
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1957 / 1958 portrait photo of four children seated on a sofa next to the family Christmas tree.
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- Portraits - Children
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1949 photo of a young girl sitting in a chair holding a cat. Child wears a chenille bathrobe with outline of a dog near the hem. Through the archway is a Christmas tree with various items displayed including a baby carriage and a phonograph record album "Pretty Baby".
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- Portraits - Children
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1949 portrait photo of three children; two brothers and a sister. The two boys stand, the girl sits on a small bench or table. Same children as seen in mcalB15F01i04 with their parents.
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- Portraits - Children
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1949 photo of three young children seated on the floor of a living room in front of a Christmas tree. Presents include a bike, two toy trains, various stuffed animals, a toy cash register and a toy metal backhoe digging machine.
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- Portraits - Children
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1945 photo of a young girl in a living room seated on the arm of an upholstered chair. She holds a doll. Beside her is a doll's crib. Behind her is a Christmas tree.
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- Portraits - Children
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1951 photo of three children in front of their Christmas tree surrounded by gifts the family received. The two boys wear cowboy outfits. Their younger sister stands between them.
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- Portraits - Children
- Description
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1951 photo of same children seen in 1949 photo mcalB14F05i15. Seen here during another Christmas with their toys. Older girl holds two dolls. Another doll sits in a toy highchair. Holiday cards adorn the fireplace mantle. Another photo is mcalB14F06i09
- Title
- Portraits - Children
- Description
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1949 portrait photo of three young children seated on the floor of a living room in front of a Christmas tree with presents. Seen are a bike, two toy trains, stuffed animals, a toy cash register, toy digging machine.