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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A mom and dad pose with their two year old child celebrating her second birthday. 1945.
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- Portraits - Children (Parties)
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1945 family portrait photo of a large family gathering in honor of a little girl's birthday. Looks like two candles on the birthday cake.
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- Portraits - Children (Parties)
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1945 portrait photo of a large family gathering in honor of a birthday.
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- Portraits - Children (Parties)
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1949 photo of a Jewish family celebrating. A menorah sits on the dining table with moms, a grandmother and children gathered around.
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- Portraits - Children (Parties)
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1949 photo of a Jewish family celebrating. A menorah sits on the dining table with moms, a grandmother and children gathered around.
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- Portraits - Family
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Ca. 1946 indoor photo of a large family gathering, seen also in mcalB14F26i10. The occasion may be a milestone wedding anniversary for one of the middle generation couples.
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- Portraits - Family
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Ca. 1945 indoor photo of four generations in one family.
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- Portraits - Family
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1945 family portrait photo of a man, his wife and grown children gathered in a living room on the sofa. Two young men in the military. Photo #2.
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- Portraits - Family
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This is very likely the family of Chester M. Kerr, salesman, who, at the time of this photo, owned this house at 283 So. Prospect St., Burlington, Vt.
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- Portraits - Family
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1945 outdoor photo of parents and three adult children, the two daughters are wearing military uniforms.
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- Portraits - Family
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1945 indoor photo of the parents in mcalB14F18i09.
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- Portraits - Family
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1952 (March) indoor photo of family with six children. The younger boy wears a leg brace. Left is an old- fashioned Singer sewing machine. See also mcalB15F05i10
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- Portraits - Family
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1958 indoor photo of family members from mcalB15F09i03, with the twins being held this time by the grandmother, with mother behind her, and great-grandmother sitting behind the young boy.
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- Portraits - Family
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1945 outdoor photo of couple with child (as seen in mcalB14F14i07) and an elderly lady, very likely the child's grandmother. Number 34 seen on the side of the house.
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- Portraits - Family
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Ca. 1945 indoor photo of a man (the "grandfather" seen in mcalB14F19i09) and an elderly lady.
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- Portraits - Family
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1958 indoor photo of another group from the family seen in mcalB15F09i03. The child's paternal lineage (father, uncle, paternal grandmother and great-grandmother) may be the theme here.
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- Portraits - Family
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1945 outdoor photo of two brothers (standing) and their parents gathered in front of their home.
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- Portraits - Family
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1945 indoor photo taken at Christmas of a mother with two young children playing with their new toys.
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- Portraits - Family
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Mid-1930s outdoor photo of three women, from possibly three generations, and a young child, all very likely in the Chester M. Kerr family. Kerr, a salesman, owned this house at 283 So. Prospect St., Burlington (see mcalB14F14i02).
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- Portraits - Family
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1953 portrait photo taken indoors of a family; perhaps a mother, father, their grown children or in-laws. One man holds an infant.