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
- Graduations - Unidentified
- Description
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1947 photo of graduates in cap and gown gathered outside in front of their Memorial School. Girls are in light colored gowns; boys in dark. McAllister artfully arranged the graduates alternating light and dark gowns within the group. A small sign on the wall to the right reads, "Standard School...
Show more1947 photo of graduates in cap and gown gathered outside in front of their Memorial School. Girls are in light colored gowns; boys in dark. McAllister artfully arranged the graduates alternating light and dark gowns within the group. A small sign on the wall to the right reads, "Standard School Vermont." Photo #3.
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- Title
- Graduations - Unidentified
- Description
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1950 photo of graduates in cap and gown gathered outside in front of their school. Partly visible overhead in the background is "Memorial School." A small sign on the wall to the right reads, "Standard School Vermont."
- Title
- Graduations - Unidentified
- Description
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1945 photo of graduates in cap and gown gathered outside in front of their high school building each holding a diploma. Is this Nazareth later St. Joseph's in Burlington, Vt?
- Title
- Graduations - Unidentified
- Description
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1948/1949 photo of graduates in cap and gown gathered outside in front of their high school building each holding a diploma. Is this Nazareth later St. Joseph's in Burlington, Vt?
- Title
- Graduations - Unidentified
- Description
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1950 photo of graduates in cap and gown assembled outside for a group portrait along with an older man.
- Title
- Graduations - Unidentified
- Description
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1949 photo of graduates in cap and gown gathered outside in front of their high school building each holding a diploma. Is this Nazareth later St. Joseph's in Burlington, Vt?
- Title
- Graduations - Unidentified
- Description
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1947 photo of graduates in cap and gown gathered outside in front of their high school building each holding a diploma. Is this Nazareth later St. Joseph's in Burlington, Vt? Photo #2.
- Title
- Graduations - Unidentified
- Description
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1947 photo of graduates in cap and gown gathered outside in front of their high school building each holding a diploma. Is this Nazareth later St. Joseph's in Burlington, Vt? Photo #3.
- Title
- Graduations - Unidentified
- Description
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1944 photo of graduates in cap and gown gathered outside in front of their school. All wear the same color gowns. Visible overhead in the background is "Memorial School." A small sign on the wall to the right reads, "Standard School Vermont." An older man sits center second row. Photo #3.
- Title
- Portraits - Family
- Description
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1945 outdoor photo of the service men seen in mcalB14F24i09, and three women, who may be either sisters or spouses. Photo #5.
- Title
- Portraits - Family
- Description
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1944 indoor photo of couple and child seen in mcalB14F14i10, with additional family members from at least three generations present. See also mcalB14F14i10 for just infant with husband and wife.
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- Portraits - Family
- Description
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The two sailors in mcalB14F24i02. A wall flower holder seen behind to the left. See also mcalB14F24i01 for woman and two sailors only and mcalB14F22i10 for more family members.
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- Portraits - Family
- Description
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Ca. 1946 indoor photo of the younger generation seen in mcalB14F26i10.
- Title
- Portraits - Family
- Description
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1945 outdoor photo of same group seen in mcalB14F24i09, looking to their right instead of left. Photo #6?
- Title
- Portraits - Unidentified Groups
- Description
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Ca. 1945 photo of 20 women, 3 men, at a social gathering. Identity of the group, venue, or occasion unknown.
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- Portraits - Unidentified Groups
- Description
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1956 or 1957 indoor group portrait photo of youth, men and women gathered in a rustic restaurant with knotty pine walls. Overhead hangs a wood log chandelier. Photo #3.
- Title
- Portraits - Unidentified Groups
- Description
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1944 photo of a large group of young men and women, perhaps college age, in a dining room. Location, occasion unknown.
- Title
- Portraits - Unidentified Groups
- Description
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Mid 1950s photo of young people with several adults gathered in a rustic restaurant. Overhead hangs a wooden log chandelier. See mcalB16F07i08 for a 1953 photo of another group. Photo #1.
- Title
- Portraits - Unidentified Groups
- Description
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A large group of young people along with a few older adults gather at a rustic restaurant(?) for a special meal or event. Knotty pine paneled walls, hard wood floor and a chandelier made from wooden logs. Dated 1949 or 1950. Printed from a damaged negative.
- Title
- Portraits - Unidentified Groups
- Description
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1951 group of young people and adults seated at dining tables at a rustic restaurant. Knotty pine walls, hard wood floor, chandelier made from wooden logs with horns and a mirror ball attached. Photo #3.