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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WPA (Work Projects Administration) Project No. 65-1-12-43 In this Nov. 27, 1939 dated photo, the view shows the completed runway extension of 1,250 lineal feet, 100 feet in width, with the 100 foot radius turning area at the left. The light area in the foreground between the boundary light and...
Show moreWPA (Work Projects Administration) Project No. 65-1-12-43 In this Nov. 27, 1939 dated photo, the view shows the completed runway extension of 1,250 lineal feet, 100 feet in width, with the 100 foot radius turning area at the left. The light area in the foreground between the boundary light and the north end of the hard surface, which is approximately 170 feet in length and 100 feet in width, is a light layer of peastone, chips, and stone dust placed to grade and rolled but without any asphalt emulsion treatment either in the base or top. This area is for the purpose of helping the pilots to locate the end of the runway. A similar area, 35 feet long and the full width of the runway was constructed on the southerly end of the north-south runway.
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June 20, 1935. Photo #6. Caption on photo reads "#6 Burlington Vt. 6-20-35 VERA (Vermont Emergency Relief Administration) Proj # 402-B15-1 Burlington Municipal Airport - Distribution of Bitumuls and blade grater following and leveling prior to light compacting of surface." Show industrial road...
Show moreJune 20, 1935. Photo #6. Caption on photo reads "#6 Burlington Vt. 6-20-35 VERA (Vermont Emergency Relief Administration) Proj # 402-B15-1 Burlington Municipal Airport - Distribution of Bitumuls and blade grater following and leveling prior to light compacting of surface." Show industrial road construction vehicles of 1935 with operators.
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Undated photograph taken at the Burlington Airport of eight men and women standing in front of a small airplane. A labeled and string wrapped package rests on the ground. A logo with a winged horse and the letters "FA" seen on plane's tail. May be 1934.
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- Description
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May 22, 1934 photo on the occasion of Amelia Earhart's first visit to Burlington for Women's Day. Original caption reads: Burlington Municipal Airport. Mayor James Burke center holding his hat, Amelia in center, Jack Shearer is the boy with pillow and Key to the City, Mrs. J. P. Dower to the...
Show moreMay 22, 1934 photo on the occasion of Amelia Earhart's first visit to Burlington for Women's Day. Original caption reads: Burlington Municipal Airport. Mayor James Burke center holding his hat, Amelia in center, Jack Shearer is the boy with pillow and Key to the City, Mrs. J. P. Dower to the right. In the back (between Burke and Earhart) is Mrs. A. H. Heiniger who was a passenger. Former Mayor Spear (in tweed jacket) is just behind Jack.
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- Description
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May 22, 1934 photo of the occasion of Amelia Earhart's first visit to Burlington. Original caption reads: Burlington Municipal Airport, Mayor Burke welcoming Amelia Earhart. Left with back to camera is Mayor James Burke, the boy with the pillow is Jack Shearer with the Key to the City, to the...
Show moreMay 22, 1934 photo of the occasion of Amelia Earhart's first visit to Burlington. Original caption reads: Burlington Municipal Airport, Mayor Burke welcoming Amelia Earhart. Left with back to camera is Mayor James Burke, the boy with the pillow is Jack Shearer with the Key to the City, to the right is Mrs. J. P. Dower (member of the Zonta Club)
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