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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- Portraits - Family
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Ca. 1945 indoor photo of family, seen in mcalB14F19i08, with twin girls.
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- Portraits - Family
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1952 indoor photo of couple with infant (grandparents and grandchild?). Florid interior design.
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- Portraits - Family
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1949 or 1950 group portrait photo of an older couple gathered in a living room with several other adults (grown children?). Woman seated on the left is a nun.
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- Portraits - Family
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1944 indoor photo of proud mother with eight children.
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- Portraits - Family
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1944 indoor photo of (perhaps) a husband and wife.
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- Portraits - Family
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1945 indoor photo of woman with her son in a nicely furnished living room.
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- Portraits - Family
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1952 family Christmas portrait with tree, sled, sand truck, doll. Same family as seen in mcalB14F06i06, mcalB15F03i19, mcalB15F04i08, mcalB15F04i09, mcalB15F04i10
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- Portraits - Family
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1953 portrait photo of an older husband and wife seated in an arm chair.
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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 woman holds an infant.
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- Portraits - Family
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1950 portrait photo of a mother and her baby boy seated in front of Christmas tree. A child's quilt is spread on the floor next to them. See also mcalB14F05i11 and mcalB15F03i19
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- Portraits - Family
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1945 indoor photo of mother and son (as seen in mcalB14F19i01) in comfortably furnished living room.
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- Portraits - Family
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1949 or 1950 group portrait photo of an older couple gathered in a living room with several other adults (grown children?). Woman standing in the center in the back is a nun. Photo #2.
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- Portraits - Individuals
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1959 photo of one of three ladies wrapping Christmas gifts. She sits in a wood paneled room in front of a brick fireplace. Photo #3. See also mcalB15F09i01, mcalB16F18i09 for a different exposure of the same woman.
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- Portraits - Individuals
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Another image of young girl seated at a piano in a living room with fireplace.
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- Portraits - Individuals
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Mid 1940s photo of an older woman seated by a window with vases of flowers. She sits in a corner of a room in front of a counter which holds more vases and a large platter.
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- Portraits - Individuals
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1945 portrait photo of a woman seated in a room on a sofa near an end table and lamp.
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- Portraits - Individuals
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A young girl sits at a piano in a living room with fireplace. Same wallpaper seen at location in mcalA14F15i10.
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- Portraits - Individuals
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1940s portrait photo of an elderly woman not smiling seated in a room in an upholstered chair. Photo #6?
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- Portraits - Individuals
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A mature woman sits at a drop leaf table with a silver tea and coffee set. A pine corner cupboard displays more silver items such as bowls, and platters. A family photo is also seen on the upper shelf of the cupboard. Photo #4. Dated 1959. See also mcalA16F01i14
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- Portraits - Individuals
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1940s portrait photo of an elderly woman smiling slightly seated in a room in an upholstered chair. Photo #5.