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
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- Portraits, groups, unidentified
- Description
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1955 photo Mr. Ben B. Lane of The Lane Press in Burlington stands with his daughter, Vickie Lane, looking at a framed wall hanging entitled "This is a printing office". A signature seems to appear in the lower right corner of the wall hanging. Photo appears in the 1955 BHS yearbook Oread, p. 145.
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- Portraits, groups, unidentified
- Description
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Portrait photo of a choral group of young men and women, possibly high school students with their director.
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- Portraits, groups, unidentified
- Description
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Burlington High School chorus readied for a Christmas concert gather in the BHS (Edmunds) auditorium / gymnasium. They are dressed in the traditional white top, dark skirt/pants. A large banner above and behind them reads "Merry Christmas." Music stands and chairs grouped in the right foreground....
Show moreBurlington High School chorus readied for a Christmas concert gather in the BHS (Edmunds) auditorium / gymnasium. They are dressed in the traditional white top, dark skirt/pants. A large banner above and behind them reads "Merry Christmas." Music stands and chairs grouped in the right foreground. Photo #2.
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- Portraits, groups, unidentified
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A high school history class is seen with six female uniformed (Catholic?) students focused on a large map showing the campaigns and empire of Alexander (the Great).
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- Portraits, groups, unidentified
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A group of high school students gather for a portrait. The girls are in uniform of a Catholic school; the boys are in suits and ties.
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- Portraits, groups, unidentified
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Portrait photo of a choral group of young men and women, possibly high school students with their director.
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- Portraits, groups, unidentified
- Description
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Susan Ramsey and her father, Mr. Lee S. Ramsey (of Vermont Hardware Co.) of Burlington. Photo appears in Burlington High School yearbook 1955, Oread, p. 139.
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- Portraits, groups, unidentified
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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.
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- Portraits, groups, unidentified
- Description
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Portrait photo of a choral group of young men and women, possibly high school students with their director.
- Title
- Portraits, groups, unidentified
- Description
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Five uniformed (Catholic?) girls pose for a portrait with five young men dressed in suit and tie. See also mcalA15F07i32
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- Portraits, groups, unidentified
- Description
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A high school art class is in progress. Uniformed (Catholic?) female students shown working on their paintings; some are at their easels, others sit at a long wooden table. Their instructor looks on. Two paintings have a religious theme; one is a Madonna and Child and another is of the Last Supper.
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- Portraits, groups, unidentified
- Description
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A large group of high school students gather for a portrait. The girls of a Catholic school are in uniform; the boys are in suits and ties.
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- Preston, William (in Burlington Store)
- Description
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Photo of William Preston of Preston's jewelers once located on upper Church Street in Burlington, Vermont. He sits with a female high school student in the store. This photo may have been taken for a local high school year book.
- Title
- School Groups - Unidentified
- Date Created
- 1952
- Description
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1952 photo of a group of young men and women. Identity of group, location, and occasion unknown.
- Title
- School Groups - Unidentified
- Date Created
- 1947
- Description
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1947 photo of some high school students--all girls except for one boy--seated for a portrait. Identity of group, school, and occasion are unknown.
- Title
- School Groups - Unidentified
- Date Created
- 1945
- Description
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1945 photo of some young people, very well dressed, gathered in the basement of a church, perhaps Catholic (notice crucifix on wall), for an informal get-together. Details are unknown, however.
- Title
- School Groups - Unidentified
- Date Created
- 1945-1946
- Description
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Ca. 1945 photo of 8 students assembled outside their school for a portrait. Identity of persons, venue, and occasion unknown. Photo #13.
- Title
- School Groups - Unidentified
- Date Created
- 1945-1946
- Description
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Ca. 1945 photo of a group of high school students assembled outside their school for a portrait. Identity of persons, venue, and occasion unknown. Photo #4.
- Title
- School Groups - Unidentified
- Date Created
- 1947
- Description
-
1947 photo of some high school students--all girls except for one boy--seated for a portrait. Identity of group, school, and occasion are unknown.
- Title
- School Groups - Unidentified
- Date Created
- 1945-1946
- Description
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Ca. 1945 photo of a group of high school students and perhaps some teachers assembled outside their school for a portrait. Identity of persons, venue, and occasion unknown. Photo #7.