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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1946 or 1947 photo of a young girl and boy (siblings?) with Christmas gifts. They are seated in a living room with Christmas tree. The girl sits in a child's chair and holds a doll and a small purse. The boy is on a tricycle. Same children as seen in mcalB14F04i14
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- Portraits - Children
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1949 / 1950 photo of two boys standing in a living room next to a Christmas tree. Presents are displayed and include toy trucks, cars, toy filing station. The brothers wear matching cowboy outfits.
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- Portraits - Children
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1949 / 1950 photo of two boys standing in a living room next to a Christmas tree. Presents are displayed and include toy trucks, cars, toy filing station. The brothers wear matching cowboy outfits.
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- Portraits - Children
- Description
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1957 or 1958 photo of two children standing in front of their Christmas tree surrounded by presents the family received. A baby carriage, dolls, a toy airplane, labeled box with air rifle outfit, a toaster and clothes are seen displayed. See also mcalB14F09i04
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- Portraits - Children
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1949 photo of two boys wearing boxing gloves and standing in front of a Christmas tree. Other toys include a train, children's tea set, stuffed animals, punching bag.
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- Portraits - Children
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1946 or 1947 photo of a living room with Christmas tree, an infant in a jumper seat and a woman (child's mother?) on the left. Plush stuffed animals and baby rattles on the floor. Same child in mcalB14F04i10
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- Portraits - Children
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1947 photo of two young boys in front of a Christmas tree surrounded by Christmas toys. Younger boy is seated on a rocking horse. His older brother stands beside him.
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- Portraits - Children
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1946 or 1947 photo of a young boy and his infant sibling standing in front of the family Christmas tree with their presents that include a plush bunny rabbit doll with mask face.
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- Portraits - Children
- Description
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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 seats between them. See another image of same children mcalB14F06i05
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- Portraits - Children
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1949 - 1950 portrait photo of three children (an infant, a sister and a brother) in a living room with Christmas tree. The boy sits on a bicycle with training wheels, the girl stands in a metal children's wagon, the infant is resting in an upholstered child's rocking chair. Other presents are...
Show more1949 - 1950 portrait photo of three children (an infant, a sister and a brother) in a living room with Christmas tree. The boy sits on a bicycle with training wheels, the girl stands in a metal children's wagon, the infant is resting in an upholstered child's rocking chair. Other presents are displayed and include a toy train with tracks, a cowboy outfit, fire extension ladder truck, a baby doll, coffee pot and toaster. Mom's smiling face is reflected in the mirror above the fireplace.
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- Title
- Portraits - Children
- Description
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1956 or 1957 photo of four children in front of the Christmas tree with their toys. Same family of children [plus one?] as in mcalB14F05i15 taken in 1949 or 1950? See also mcalB14F08i02
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- Portraits - Children
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1946 or 1947 photo of a young boy on a tricycle with Christmas tree and other presents. A Red Arrow wooden sled is against the wall and a toy train with tracks beneath the tree.
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- Portraits - Children
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1947 photo of two young children (boys?) seated on the floor in front of a Christmas tree surrounded by Christmas toys. Seen are a small train on tracks, a Bambi rocker, a wagon, plush toys, books and noise makers.
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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
- Description
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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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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
- 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. 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