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
Show less
Related Archival Collection
Pages
- Title
- Portraits - Children
- Description
-
1946 or 1947 photo of a young boy and his infant sibling standing in front of the family Christmas tree with their presents that include a plush bunny rabbit doll with mask face.
- Title
- Portraits - Children
- Description
-
1951 photo of three children in front of their Christmas tree surrounded by gifts the family received. The two boys wear cowboy outfits. Their younger sister seats between them. See another image of same children mcalB14F06i05
- Title
- Portraits - Children
- Description
-
1949 - 1950 portrait photo of three children (an infant, a sister and a brother) in a living room with Christmas tree. The boy sits on a bicycle with training wheels, the girl stands in a metal children's wagon, the infant is resting in an upholstered child's rocking chair. Other presents are...
Show more1949 - 1950 portrait photo of three children (an infant, a sister and a brother) in a living room with Christmas tree. The boy sits on a bicycle with training wheels, the girl stands in a metal children's wagon, the infant is resting in an upholstered child's rocking chair. Other presents are displayed and include a toy train with tracks, a cowboy outfit, fire extension ladder truck, a baby doll, coffee pot and toaster. Mom's smiling face is reflected in the mirror above the fireplace.
Show less
- Title
- Portraits - Children
- Description
-
1956 or 1957 photo of four children in front of the Christmas tree with their toys. Same family of children [plus one?] as in mcalB14F05i15 taken in 1949 or 1950? See also mcalB14F08i02
- Title
- Portraits - Children
- Description
-
1946 or 1947 photo of a young boy on a tricycle with Christmas tree and other presents. A Red Arrow wooden sled is against the wall and a toy train with tracks beneath the tree.
- Title
- Portraits - Children
- Description
-
1947 photo of two young children (boys?) seated on the floor in front of a Christmas tree surrounded by Christmas toys. Seen are a small train on tracks, a Bambi rocker, a wagon, plush toys, books and noise makers.
- Title
- Portraits - Children
- Description
-
1944 portrait photo of a young girl sitting on a long coffee table and holding a stuffed toy teddy bear .
- Title
- Portraits - Children
- Description
-
1946 or 1947 photo of same baby girl seated on a small table posing for a portrait. She glances to the side while she holds tightly to her stuffed toy panda bear .
- Title
- Portraits - Children
- Description
-
Three young children pose next to their Christmas tree with gifts. The girl holds a small hard plastic doll that may be a Vogue Ginny popular in the 1950s. Other presents are arranged in a display around the tree and on the upholstered chair in which the boys sit. See also mcalB14F11i08
- Title
- Portraits - Children
- Description
-
Four children pose by their Christmas tree in the living room of their home. The two younger children sit in chairs. Their older brother stands in the back next to his older sister. Wooden skis and two large teddy bears seen. Same family as seen in mcalA14F15i19 and in mcalB14F10i03.
- Title
- Portraits - Children
- Description
-
Four children pose by their Christmas tree in the living room of their home. The two children seated on the floor each hold a toy; a metal spinning top and a doll. The boy standing in the back holds the family dog and the older girl proudly wears her "poodle" skirt with Scottie. See also...
Show moreFour children pose by their Christmas tree in the living room of their home. The two children seated on the floor each hold a toy; a metal spinning top and a doll. The boy standing in the back holds the family dog and the older girl proudly wears her "poodle" skirt with Scottie. See also mcalA14F15i19
Show less
- Title
- Portraits - Children
- Description
-
1951 photo of same children seen in 1949 photo mcalB14F05i15. Seen here during another Christmas with their toys. Older girl holds two dolls. Other dolls sit in a toy highchairs. Youngest holds the handle of a baby carriage. Holiday cards adorn the fireplace mantle. Another photo is mcalB14F06i07
- Title
- Portraits - Children
- Description
-
1949 photo of two boys wearing boxing gloves and standing in front of a Christmas tree. Other toys include a train, train water tower, coloring book, children's tea set, stuffed animals, punching bag.
- Title
- Portraits - Children
- Description
-
1945 photo of a young boy seated on the floor with his Christmas toys and Christmas tree.
- Title
- Portraits - Children
- Description
-
1951 photo of three children in front of their Christmas tree surrounded by gifts the family received. The two boys wear cowboy outfits. Their younger sister stands between them.
- Title
- Portraits - Children
- Description
-
Another pose of 1944 portrait photo of a little boy sitting on a long coffee table holding a stuffed teddy bear toy.
- Title
- Portraits - Children
- Description
-
1951 photo of same children seen in 1949 photo mcalB14F05i15. Seen here during another Christmas with their toys. Older girl holds two dolls. Another doll sits in a toy highchair. Holiday cards adorn the fireplace mantle. Another photo is mcalB14F06i09
- Title
- Portraits - Children
- Description
-
1949 portrait photo of three young children seated on the floor of a living room in front of a Christmas tree with presents. Seen are a bike, two toy trains, stuffed animals, a toy cash register, toy digging machine.
- Title
- Portraits - Children
- Description
-
1945 photo of a young boy in his home seated on a rocking horse with other toys and the family Christmas tree. A framed photo of a soldier is placed on the floor among the toys that include a soldier doll.
- Title
- Portraits - Children
- Description
-
1951 photo of three children in front of their decorated Christmas tree surrounded by gifts the family received. The two boys sit on the floor and the elder holds his infant sibling. One toy is a drive in service station "Happy Time".