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 (Parties)
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1948 or 1949 group portrait photo of several children (all wearing party hats) and four women gathered in a living room. Photo #2. See also mcalB14F12i22
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- Portraits - Children (Parties)
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1946 or 1947 photo of a large birthday gathering. About 20 children attend. A long table is elaborately decorated with birthday plates, cups and napkins. Crepe paper streamers hang from above. Photo #2. See also mcalB14F12i23.
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- Portraits - Children (Parties)
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1945 photo of a young boy's 2nd birthday. The number 2 clearly seen on the cake on the dining table. Other children seated with the birthday boy.
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- Portraits - Family
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Ca. 1945 indoor photo of four generations in one family.
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- Portraits - Family
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1945 family portrait photo of a man, his wife and grown children gathered in a living room on the sofa. Two young men in the military. Photo #2.
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- Portraits - Family
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1952 (March) indoor photo of family with six children. The younger boy wears a leg brace. Left is an old- fashioned Singer sewing machine. See also mcalB15F05i10
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- Portraits - Family
- Description
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Ca. 1945 indoor photo of a man (the "grandfather" seen in mcalB14F19i09) and an elderly lady.
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- Portraits - Family
- Description
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1953 portrait photo taken indoors of a family; perhaps a mother, father, their grown children or in-laws. One man holds an infant.
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- Portraits - Family
- Description
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1944 indoor photo of family with decorated Christmas tree in living room. Probable: Husband and wife (standing), with daughter or daughter-in-law (seated), who is married to serviceman in the portrait next to the tree. See also mcalB16F13i30 for just the young woman.
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- Portraits - Family
- Description
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1944 indoor photo of mother and daughter who holds a large composition doll with sleep eyes. (Photo apparently damaged.) See also mcalB14F16i03
- Title
- Portraits - Family
- Description
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1949 - 1950 family portrait. Same family as seen in mcalB15F02i15 and mcalB15F02i16. Seen here inside home with painting on the wall.
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- Portraits - Family
- Description
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1944 indoor photo of 8 family members.
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- Portraits - Family
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Same grown children as seen in mcalB15F02i07. Pictured here just the three siblings. One brother in military uniform. Dated 1949.
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- Portraits - Family
- Description
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1945 indoor photo of 2 men and 3 women, middle-aged and elderly, gathered in the dining room amid some elegant decor and furnishings. The elderly couple seated are the same as seen in mcalB14F21i05 on a velvet sofa.
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- Portraits - Family
- Description
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1953 portrait photo taken indoors of a family; perhaps a mother, father, their grown children or in-laws. One woman holds an infant.
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- Portraits - Family
- Description
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1945 indoor photo of a young woman seated on a very large (Art Deco style?) upholstered chair with wide arms and two young men, perhaps her brothers, one of whom is wearing a military uniform. See also mcalB15F02i07 for same young woman in same setting.
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- Portraits - Family
- Description
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Ca. 1945 indoor photo of two couples, perhaps a husband (left), his wife, and her parents (right). Ubiquitous radio (far right) is also quite large. Photo #4.
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- Portraits - Family
- Description
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1952 indoor photo of family seen in mcalB15F05i09, this time smiling a bit more. Singer sewing machine on the left. The younger boy wears a leg brace.
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- Portraits - Family
- Description
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1944 indoor photo of a mother holding her child, with other family members present. See also mcalB14F16i04.
- Title
- Portraits - Family
- Description
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1944 indoor photo of a mother and her daughter who holds a composition doll with sleep eyes. See also mcalB14F14i09.