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
- Title
- Oil Tank Construction
- Description
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July 15, 1952 oil tank construction by C.A. Congdon Construction. Several cars parked nearby.
- Title
- Oil Tank Construction
- Description
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1952 site of oil tank construction by C. A. Congdon Construction. Several cars parked nearby.
- Title
- Portraits - Family
- Description
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1952 outdoor photo of family members, assembled in front of an automobile in the back yard of the McAllister residence.
- Title
- Portraits - Unidentified Groups
- Description
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1945 photo of a group of men and women ready to board a train. Most passengers have tags attached to their clothing. Train station very likely in Essex Junction, Vt. A few cars are parked on the left. A Western Union sign can be seen in the distance, left.
- Title
- Sewer Projects
- Description
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March 9, 1932. An automobile is seen at one end of an area beneath an overpass or bridge part of a sewer construction project. Tree trunks act as supports for some of the timbers.
- Title
- State Police - Patrol Cars
- Description
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State Police patrol cars with police officers assembled in a single line in an open field.
- Title
- State Police - Patrol Cars
- Description
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State Police patrol cars with police officers assembled in a single line in an open field.
- Title
- State Police - Patrol Cars
- Description
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State Police patrol cars with police officers assembled in a single line in an open field.
- Title
- Stores - IGA (Burlington, VT)
- Date Created
- 1936
- Description
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1936 photo of cars (1930s Chevrolet?) parked in front of Burlington Grocery Co., 47-49 Maple St., Burlington, Vt.
- Title
- Stores - IGA (Burlington, VT)
- Date Created
- 1936
- Description
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Employees and/or management of Burlington Grocery Co. standing in front of their respective cars (seen in mcalB18F20i04). These appear to be some of the same men seen in mcalB18F20i03. Cars may be Chevrolets, perhaps '34 or '35 models.
- Title
- Stores - IGA (Burlington, VT)
- Date Created
- 1936
- Description
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1936. (See mcalB18F20i03) Management team of Burlington Grocery Co., 47-49 Maple St., Burlington, VT. The Burl. City Directory listed the following administrative positions: Sam C. Blodgett, pres.; Edward F. Holbrook, vice pres.; and treas. William F. Holbrook.
- Title
- Stores - Sherwin-Williams Paints (Burlington, VT)
- Date Created
- 1946-1947
- Description
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T.S. Peck Insurance Agency 154 College Street : Several cars parked in front of three College St. businesses: Sherwin-Williams Paints (152), T.S. Peck, and Agel Corman furniture. Photo is taken from City Hall park.
- Title
- Stores - Sherwin-Williams Paints (Burlington, VT)
- Date Created
- 1946-1947
- Description
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"Including T.S. Peck Insurance Agency 154 College Street" (written on back of photo). 1940s vintage automobiles parked at 152-154 College St., just across from City Hall park, in front of Sherwin-Williams Paints and T.S. Peck Insurance.
- Title
- Stores - Singer (Burlington, VT)
- Date Created
- undated
- Description
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23Church St. 3/4 view of the Singer Sewing machine store. The previously empty lot at 19-21 Church St., as seen in mcalB18F27i02 and others, is now [Mortimer] Irving's ladies' clothing store. (The name is visible on the advertising.) Date must be 1952 or later. Good sampling of cars.
- Title
- Stores, Exteriors
- Description
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Burlington retail store for Dodge Plymouth automobiles advertising its Spring open house. A man and woman stand outside next to a car; she in fur coat; he next to her with one leg on the running board.
- Title
- Strong Theatre (Burlington, VT)
- Date Created
- 1946-1947
- Description
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1946 photo of the Strong Building, home of Strong Hardware Co. and the Strong Theatre, as well as a drugstore and ice cream shop. Date on the building is 1902. The marquee reads: Abbott and Costello: "The Naughty Nineties," with Alan Curtis. (The movie came out in 1945.) The building was...
Show more1946 photo of the Strong Building, home of Strong Hardware Co. and the Strong Theatre, as well as a drugstore and ice cream shop. Date on the building is 1902. The marquee reads: Abbott and Costello: "The Naughty Nineties," with Alan Curtis. (The movie came out in 1945.) The building was destroyed by arson in 1970, and rubble at the site was used to help build the Burlington bike path.
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- Title
- Strong Theatre (Burlington, VT)
- Date Created
- 1946-1947
- Description
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1946 photo of the Strong Building, home of Strong Hardware Co. and the Strong Theatre, as well as a drugstore and ice cream shop. Date on the building is 1902. The marquee reads: Abbott and Costello: "The Naughty Nineties," with Alan Curtis. (The movie came out in 1945.) The building was...
Show more1946 photo of the Strong Building, home of Strong Hardware Co. and the Strong Theatre, as well as a drugstore and ice cream shop. Date on the building is 1902. The marquee reads: Abbott and Costello: "The Naughty Nineties," with Alan Curtis. (The movie came out in 1945.) The building was destroyed by arson in 1970, and rubble at the site was used to help build the Burlington bike path.
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- Title
- Strong Theatre (Burlington, VT)
- Date Created
- 1946-1947
- Description
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1946 photo of the Strong Building, home of Strong Hardware Co. and the Strong Theatre, as well as Brown's Pharmacy and ice cream shop. Date on the building is 1902. The marquee reads: Abbott and Costello: "The Naughty Nineties," with Alan Curtis. (The movie came out in 1945.) The building was...
Show more1946 photo of the Strong Building, home of Strong Hardware Co. and the Strong Theatre, as well as Brown's Pharmacy and ice cream shop. Date on the building is 1902. The marquee reads: Abbott and Costello: "The Naughty Nineties," with Alan Curtis. (The movie came out in 1945.) The building was destroyed by arson in 1970, and rubble at the site was used to help build the Burlington bike path.
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- Title
- Ticonderoga - Move to Shelburne Museum
- Description
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Undated but may be late 1954. Two unidentified men and their automobile stand in front of the steamship Ticonderoga as the ship rests on its cradle. Location may be the basin dug at the southern end of Shelburne Bay during preparation of the ship's overland journey to the Shelburne Museum.
- Title
- UVM - Housing (Temporary)
- Description
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Temporary housing units near main campus, with a few parked cars and trucks. These dwellings preceded the construction of the Chittenden-Buckham-Wills dormitories and very likely accommodated GI's coming to UVM as part of the "GI Bill." Dated 1946 / 1947.