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
- Camp Marycrest - Activities
- Description
-
1959 photo of campers standing with a Camp Marycrest banner in front a a decorated truck made to look like a boat. The date July 4, 1609 is lettered on the side of the boat. Other campers are dressed as Samuel de Champlain and Indian guides perhaps in preparation for a parade commemorating...
Show more1959 photo of campers standing with a Camp Marycrest banner in front a a decorated truck made to look like a boat. The date July 4, 1609 is lettered on the side of the boat. Other campers are dressed as Samuel de Champlain and Indian guides perhaps in preparation for a parade commemorating Champlain landing on the shores of the lake. Photo #2
Show less
- Title
- Camp Marycrest - Activities
- Description
-
1959 photo of a truck decorated as a boat that is part of parade at Camp Marycrest. Campers dressed as Indians "paddle" the boat. They are commemorating the 350th landing of Samuel de Champlain on the shores of the lake of 1609.
- Title
- Camp Marycrest - Activities
- Description
-
1959 photo of campers standing with a Camp Marycrest banner in front a decorated truck made to look like a boat. The date July 4, 1609 is lettered on the side of the boat. Other campers are dressed as Samuel de Champlain and Indian guides perhaps in preparation for a parade or skit. Photo #1.
- Title
- Construction Sites
- Description
-
1935/1936 photo of a construction site with four men with shovels digging in a very large grassy field. A truck and automobile are parked nearby.
- Title
- Fort Ethan Allen Artillery Range (Underhill)
- Description
-
Two military transport vehicles on dirt road with utility poles and lines.
- Title
- Fort Ethan Allen Artillery Range (Underhill)
- Description
-
Convoy of military trucks on the road. Railroad tracks along side of the road. Photo #23.
- Title
- Johnson, VT (Shell Garage)
- Description
-
Shell Garage in Johnson, Vermont. Photo dated 1944. A mechanic works on the engine of a truck
- Title
- Johnson, VT (Shell Garage)
- Description
-
Shell Garage in Johnson, Vermont. Photo dated 1944. A mechanic works on the engine of a truck
- Title
- Mary Fletcher Hospital, Burlington - Construction
- Description
-
November 7, 1950. Construction of Mary Fletcher Hospital, Burlington, Vermont. Architects McKim, Mead & White. Builders Vermilya Brown Co., Inc. Upper most story with framing in place. Six construction crew members stop their work and look at the photographer. A large utility truck is to the right.
- Title
- McAllister Portraits with Foxes
- Description
-
Louis McAllister pictured with fur pelts of fox, raccoon and possibly skunk that he has trapped and skinned. Some of the pelts are stretched on boards leaning against the truck.
- Title
- McAllister Portraits with Foxes
- Description
-
A man stands along side a truck. Behind him are strung several fox furs. He holds some pelts and tools used including a wire metal leg trap. Undated but may be 1930s and later.
- Title
- Military Equipment
- Description
-
1930s photo of military vehicles; cars and trucks.
- Title
- Parks
- Description
-
November 22, 1938. Workmen operate steam rollers, dump trucks and other equipment as they construct an urban park.
- Title
- Parks
- Description
-
November 22, 1938. Crew work on constructing an urban park. Seen is a truck with barrels and hose. Also a steam roller.
- Title
- Portraits - Unidentified Groups
- Description
-
Over exposed 1935 / 1936 winter photo of a group of well-dressed, influential men standing in front of an airplane, presumably at Burlington Int'l Airport. On the left is a delivery truck owned by Railway Express Agency, which had headquarters at 111 St. Paul St., Burlington. The City Directory...
Show moreOver exposed 1935 / 1936 winter photo of a group of well-dressed, influential men standing in front of an airplane, presumably at Burlington Int'l Airport. On the left is a delivery truck owned by Railway Express Agency, which had headquarters at 111 St. Paul St., Burlington. The City Directory lists Herbert E. Fitch as agent. Also on the left: a boy with his dog that lays on a crate with sign "Live Dog". Occasion and purpose of photo unknown.
Show less
- Title
- Portraits - Unidentified Groups
- Description
-
1935 / 1936 winter photo of a group of well-dressed, influential men standing in front of an airplane, presumably at Burlington Int'l Airport. On the left is a delivery truck owned by Railway Express Agency, which had headquarters at 111 St. Paul St., Burlington. The City Directory lists Herbert...
Show more1935 / 1936 winter photo of a group of well-dressed, influential men standing in front of an airplane, presumably at Burlington Int'l Airport. On the left is a delivery truck owned by Railway Express Agency, which had headquarters at 111 St. Paul St., Burlington. The City Directory lists Herbert E. Fitch as agent. Also on the left: a boy with his dog that sits on a crate with sign "Live Dog". Occasion and purpose of photo unknown.
Show less
- Title
- Portraits, groups, unidentified
- Description
-
Six men stand outside in the snow. May be members of a work crew doing a city street project. A truck can be seen in the background above the men.
- Title
- Road Construction
- Description
-
September 10, 1928. Workmen, bags of cement, trucks, machinery and road side billboards all are seen at this road construction site. On the photo's left side is seen strung lines to plumb the straight edge of the road side.
- Title
- Scrap Metal Collection
- Date Created
- 1945
- Description
-
1945 - Scrap Metal Collection - A man with a power shovel has a scoopful of scrap metal near a partially filled truck. Initials on the truck's door read, "C.R. Co." Another man stands in the truck bed with shovel, two others look on.
- Title
- Sewer Projects
- Description
-
November 24, 1939. A dump truck deposits its load at a sewer project site as crew members work nearby. Other trucks and machinery seen.