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
Pages
- Title
- Stores - Interiors - Unidentified
- Date Created
- 1945
- Description
-
Clothing and cosmetics store seen in mcalB18F29i22, but from a different angle. Spring and summer fashions, plus a sign (upper right corner) reminding "Women: our wounded need your care." Sponsor of the sign campaign unknown.
- Title
- Stores - Interiors - Unidentified
- Date Created
- 1945
- Description
-
Office interior. Five women working in well-lighted, spacious office (business and location unknown).
- Title
- Stores - Interiors - Unidentified
- Date Created
- 1945
- Description
-
"Clothing and Cosmetics Store." Ladies apparel, very likely spring and summer fashions. 2 signs advertise Saybury Robes and House Coats.
- Title
- Stores - Interiors - Unidentified
- Date Created
- 1945
- Description
-
Bookstore or magazine shop (see mcalB18F29i11). Employees and a customer (?) looking at the Saturday Evening Post (edition dated 2 Oct., 1943). Selection seems to have mostly popular and pulp fiction titles.
- Title
- Stores - People's Department Store (Burlington, VT)
- Date Created
- 1948-1949
- Description
-
25 Church Street : rear entrance and staircase to upper floors of People's Dept. store.
- Title
- Stores - People's Department Store (Burlington, VT)
- Date Created
- 1952
- Description
-
25 Church Street : Rear entrance to People's Dept. store, with truck in foreground.
- Title
- Stores - S.S. Kresge (Burlington, VT)
- Date Created
- 1955
- Description
-
Window display at S.S. Kresge's at the time of their remodeling. Decorations anticipate harvest and Thanksgiving Day.
- Title
- Stores - Sherwin-Williams Paints (Burlington, VT)
- Date Created
- 1945
- Description
-
Display of Lin-X and Kem-Tone glosses and finishes.
- Title
- Stores - Sherwin-Williams Paints (Burlington, VT)
- Date Created
- 1945
- Description
-
Display window at the Sherwin-Williams Paints store in Burlington, Vt.
- Title
- Stores - Sherwin-Williams Paints (Burlington, VT)
- Date Created
- 1945
- Description
-
Display of Kem-Tone, "the modern miracle wall finish," with several cans of the product, ad panels, and even a room in a dollhouse. Roman numerals on window are part of clock face that indicates, possibly, the store's lunch hour (see mcalB18F26i06).
- Title
- Stores - Sherwin-Williams Paints (Burlington, VT)
- Date Created
- 1944
- Description
-
Other side of showroom at Sherwin-Williams Paints, as seen in mcalB18F26i08. This side features paints (note pyramid display) and other finishes. Several pieces of unfinished furniture are for sale also. The 152 College St. site is across from City Hall park.
- Title
- Stores - Sherwin-Williams Paints (Burlington, VT)
- Date Created
- 1945
- Description
-
Sherwin-Williams Paints, 152 College St., Burlington, Vt. Innovative window display demonstrates how clear a coating of Lin-X Clear Gloss is.
- Title
- Stores - Sherwin-Williams Paints (Burlington, VT)
- Date Created
- 1945
- Description
-
(Duplicate of mcalB18F26i10) Window display of Lowe Brothers paints, finishes, and brushes (is this really a Sherwin-Williams store?).
- Title
- Stores - Sherwin-Williams Paints (Burlington, VT)
- Date Created
- 1945
- Description
-
Window display of Lowe Brothers paints, finishes, and brushes (is this really a Sherwin-Williams store?).
- Title
- Stores - Sherwin-Williams Paints (Burlington, VT)
- Date Created
- 1944
- Description
-
Interior of Sherwin-Williams Paints store in Burlington, Vt. at 152 College St., in the block across from City Hall park. Long rectangular showroom with hardwood floors has wallpaper samples on the left side and displays of other products throughout the store.
- Title
- Stores - Sherwin-Williams Paints (Burlington, VT)
- Date Created
- 1946-1947
- Description
-
T.S. Peck Insurance Agency 154 College Street : Several cars parked in front of three College St. businesses: Sherwin-Williams Paints (152), T.S. Peck, and Agel Corman furniture. Photo is taken from City Hall park.
- Title
- Stores - Sherwin-Williams Paints (Burlington, VT)
- Date Created
- 1946-1947
- Description
-
Sherwin-Williams Paints window display and advertising for Pestroy (pest + destroy = Pestroy), DDT based insecticide seen in other photos. Ads proclaim the lethal effects of Pestroy in the home.
- Title
- Stores - Sherwin-Williams Paints (Burlington, VT)
- Date Created
- 1946-1947
- Description
-
"Including T.S. Peck Insurance Agency 154 College Street" (written on back of photo). 1940s vintage automobiles parked at 152-154 College St., just across from City Hall park, in front of Sherwin-Williams Paints and T.S. Peck Insurance.
- Title
- Stores - Sherwin-Williams Paints (Burlington, VT)
- Date Created
- 1946-1947
- Description
-
Including T.S. Peck Insurance Agency 154 College Street : Truck with Sherwin Williams business info parked in front of store at 152 College. (SW may have moved recently to 152 without having changed the address on the truck.)
- Title
- Stores - Sherwin-Williams Paints (Burlington, VT)
- Date Created
- 1945
- Description
-
Display and advertising for Lin-X finishes: "These three HOME brighteners are really Work Lighteners."