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
- Athletics, unidentified
- Date Created
- undated
- Description
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Coach is Bill Landers, number 18 is Jimmy Leddy, and the team is from Rice. The field is South Park, later named Calahan Park. Photo #1.
- Title
- Athletics, unidentified
- Date Created
- undated
- Description
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8 football players from Rice Memorial High School (entire team in seen in mcalA01F04i16). Location is South Park (later named Calahan Park). Photo #3.
- Title
- Athletics, unidentified
- Date Created
- undated
- Description
-
Coach is Bill Landers, number 18 is Jimmy Leddy, and the team is from Rice. The field is South Park, later named Calahan Park. Photo #2.
- Title
- Burlington City Hall Park
- Description
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June 4, 1938. City Hall Park, Burlington, groundskeepers working near fountain. Hotel Vermont seen beyond the elm trees and to the right behind the fountain is Van Ness House. Automobiles and even a Burlington Rapid Transit bus can be seen.
- Title
- Burlington City Hall Park
- Description
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June 4, 1938 Burlington City Hall and City Hall Park with groundskeepers working near fountain
- Title
- Burlington City Hall Park
- Description
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City Hall Park, Burlington, fountain and elm trees looking toward College Street. To the extreme right is the Chittenden County Trust bank. Undated but may be late 1930s.
- Title
- Burlington City Hall Park
- Description
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June 4, 1938. City Hall Park, Burlington, groundskeepers
- Title
- Burlington City Hall Park
- Description
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June 4, 1938. Groundskeepers with truck working in City Hall Park near fountain with City Hall in the background
- Title
- Burlington Streets: Battery Street Park
- Description
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1938-1940 photograph of the south entrance to Battery Park (after completion of WPA [Work Projects Administration] project?) Note new light poles, widened road and the completed parapet wall.
- Title
- Burlington Streets: Battery Street Park
- Description
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Photograph dated June 3, 1938, Original caption reads: Battery Park - WPA (Work Projects Administration) Project No. 65-12-344 This view shows the construction of the stone masonry parapet wall with the reinforced concrete caps. Note the first concrete cap being polished after removing the forms...
Show morePhotograph dated June 3, 1938, Original caption reads: Battery Park - WPA (Work Projects Administration) Project No. 65-12-344 This view shows the construction of the stone masonry parapet wall with the reinforced concrete caps. Note the first concrete cap being polished after removing the forms also the reinforced materials in the right foreground in reinforcing the caps also the special forms used in pouring the concrete caps.
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- Title
- Burlington Streets: Battery Street Park
- Description
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1938-1940 photograph of Battery Park. Original caption reads: WPA (Work Projects Administration) 65-12-344 View of the asphalt plant mix binder. Coarse on sidewalk and concrete base for parapet wall in Battery Park. Note excavation for concrete integral curb and gutter at right.
- Title
- Burlington Streets: Battery Street Park
- Description
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1938-1940 photograph of the south entrance to Battery Park with WPA (Work Projects Administration) Project sign. Note the old light poles and that southern portion of the parapet wall has not yet been built.
- Title
- Burlington Streets: Battery Street Park
- Description
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1938-1940 photograph (may be summer 1938) of the north entrance to Battery Park at the completion of the WPA (Work Projects Administration) project.
- Title
- Burlington Streets: Battery Street Park
- Description
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1938-1940 photograph of Battery park prior to the start of the WPA (Work Projects Administration) project, looking south toward the observation platform. Note the piles of construction sand in road, the old light poles and the lack of the parapet wall along the walkway.
- Title
- Burlington Streets: Battery Street Park
- Description
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1938 - 1940 photograph of Battery Park. Original caption reads: Battery Park - WPA (Work Projects Administration) Project No. 65-12-344 This view shows the 10' asphalt sidewalk after the base had been placed and rolled just prior to placing the finish coat; also the concrete footing to receive...
Show more1938 - 1940 photograph of Battery Park. Original caption reads: Battery Park - WPA (Work Projects Administration) Project No. 65-12-344 This view shows the 10' asphalt sidewalk after the base had been placed and rolled just prior to placing the finish coat; also the concrete footing to receive the stone masonry parapet wall. Note the old system of street light poles and the old pavement to the right. The look-off with Rock Point in the distance.
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- Title
- Burlington Streets: Hayward St. & Hayward St. Sewer
- Description
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March 1, 1934. South Park & Hayward Street sewer project P.W.A. Docket no. 2353, Burlington, Vt. View of the trench.
- Title
- Cathedral High School - Football Teams
- Description
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A portrait of the Cathedral High School football team The photograph is dated 1958.
- Title
- Ethan Allen Park, Burlington
- Description
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Original caption reads: A section of Ethan Allen Park drive where a considerable amount of rock had to be blasted out of the roadway before constructing the pavement.
- Title
- Ethan Allen Park, Burlington
- Description
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View of new stone masonry lookout house on the pinnacle at Ethan Allen Park while under construction.
- Title
- Ethan Allen Park, Burlington
- Description
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A view of the frame for the new stone masonry lookout house on the pinnacle at Ethan Allen Park.