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 - Individuals
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1944 Christmas photo of a young woman seated near decorated tree in living room. A fake fireplace with Santa seen to the right. A photo of service man at base of tree. See also mcalB14F16i01 for other family members.
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- Portraits - Individuals
- Description
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1945 portrait photo of a young girl in a room seated in an upholstered chair.
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- Portraits - Individuals
- Description
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1944 photo of 3 photos showing individuals seated in their office or living room. Writing on photo with man sitting at roll top desk reads, "What are you going to do me for". In another photo one older woman holds a doll in her lap.
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- Portraits - Unidentified Groups
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1949 photo of a group of men, women, and a nun gathered in a room; perhaps a kitchen (linoleum floor) for a portrait. See also mcalB16F01i05. Photo #1.
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- Portraits - Unidentified Groups
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1953 indoor photo of four older men seated on a sofa with four older women standing directly behind them. Photo #1?
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- Portraits - Unidentified Groups
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1953 indoor photo of four older men seated on a sofa with four older women standing directly behind them. Photo #2.
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- Portraits, children, unidentified
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Seven very young children are assembled on a living room couch for a group portrait. They each hold a toy or doll except the little boy on the far left. See also mcalA14F15i18
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- Portraits, children, unidentified
- Description
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An infant girl seated in an arm chair. Large pattern floral wall paper in the background. Large floral pattern fabric on the back of the chair. The baby wears a dress, hard soled shoes and holds a pacifier.
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- Portraits, children, unidentified
- Description
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Two young children sit upon an upholstered stool each dressed in a German / Austrian / Tyrolian type outfit. A golden retriever dog lays in front. A fireplace is seen behind. See also mcalA14F16i06
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- Portraits, children, unidentified
- Description
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1957/1958 photo of two young girls stand in a living room of a home amid a collection of dolls each holding a large antique German bisque head baby doll. Many other German bisque, china and cloth headed dolls also seen. Among the collection are nun dolls, German made china, Grace Storey Putnam...
Show more1957/1958 photo of two young girls stand in a living room of a home amid a collection of dolls each holding a large antique German bisque head baby doll. Many other German bisque, china and cloth headed dolls also seen. Among the collection are nun dolls, German made china, Grace Storey Putnam baby in stroller, Kathe Kruse dolls, plus several fashion dolls. Photo #1. See mcalB16F13i07 for what may be same location.
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- Title
- Portraits, children, unidentified
- Description
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Two young children seated in an upholstered chair. The older child sits on the arm of the chair while the younger baby sits leaning in the corner of the chair against her older sister. The baby wears a crocheted sweater and matching booties.
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- Portraits, children, unidentified
- Description
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An infant girl seated in an arm chair. Large pattern floral wall paper in the background. Large floral pattern fabric on the back of the chair. The baby wears a dress, hard soled shoes and holds a pacifier.
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- Portraits, children, unidentified
- Description
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Two young children stand upon an upholstered stool each dressed in a German / Austrian / Tyrolian type outfit. A fireplace is seen behind with a portrait painting of a young woman hung above the fireplace. See also mcalA14F16i08
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- Portraits, children, unidentified
- Description
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Four young children pose for a group portrait. Two girls stand, a younger girl in on a wooden rocking horse and a young boy is seated in a child's rocking chair. Photo #1. See also mcalA14F15i17, mcalB14F10i01, mcalB14F11i01
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- Portraits, children, unidentified
- Description
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A young girl poses in her First Communion dress. See also mcalA14F16i17
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- Portraits, children, unidentified
- Description
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A young girl poses in her First Communion dress. Photo #2. See also mcalA14F16i16
- Title
- Portraits, children, unidentified
- Description
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Seven very young children are assembled on a living room couch for a group portrait. They each hold a toy and the little boy on the far left holds a real calico kitten. See also mcalA14F15i18 and mcalA14F15i20
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- Portraits, children, unidentified
- Description
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A young girl sits at a piano in a living room setting. She is neatly and very well dressed.
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- Portraits, children, unidentified
- Description
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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
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- Portraits, children, unidentified
- Description
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A little blonde girl stands on an upholstered hassock outside on the grass. She wears a mid-thigh length dress with a cloth sash belt, white socks and sneakers. This is the same child sitting on her mother's lap and her circus performer father. See mcalA09F09i09