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
- Veterans of Foreign Wars
- Description
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1952 photo of an Armistice Day (after 1954: Veterans Day) commemoration at the VFW memorial in Battery Park. A sailor stands in front of the memorial dedicated to the memory of seaman Howard W. Plant, "the first Burlington boy" to die in World War I, specifically on the US destroyer "Jacob Jones,...
Show more1952 photo of an Armistice Day (after 1954: Veterans Day) commemoration at the VFW memorial in Battery Park. A sailor stands in front of the memorial dedicated to the memory of seaman Howard W. Plant, "the first Burlington boy" to die in World War I, specifically on the US destroyer "Jacob Jones," 6 Dec., 1917. Burlington Mayor J. Edward Moran (2nd from far left) and other veterans and citizens look on in silence.
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- Title
- Veterans of Foreign Wars
- Description
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1952 photo showing more of the interior of Memorial Auditorium. The occasion is very likely an annual Christmas bazaar sponsored by the VFW. A group appear to be lined up to see Santa Claus. Memorial Auditorium opened in 1928 and has a seating capacity of 2,500.
- Title
- Veterans of Foreign Wars
- Description
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1959 photo of a veteran speaking at Battery Park, very likely on Veterans Day. A small crowd of veterans and citizens has gathered near the VFW war memorial.
- Title
- Veterans of Foreign Wars
- Description
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Ca. 1951 photo (overexposed sequel of mcalB21F11i03) promoting the VFW poppy sale as a fundraising token. A boy presents a poppy to a local dignitary (Mayor Moran of Burlington?) as two veterans look on.
- Title
- Veterans of Foreign Wars
- Description
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1957 photo of a veterans' ceremony at Battery Park in Burlington, Vt., perhaps on Veterans Day. Crowd consists of men and women veterans (many wearing uniforms and/or garrison caps), and children. This gathering is at the Howard William Plant memorial. Plant, as the plaque states, was the "first...
Show more1957 photo of a veterans' ceremony at Battery Park in Burlington, Vt., perhaps on Veterans Day. Crowd consists of men and women veterans (many wearing uniforms and/or garrison caps), and children. This gathering is at the Howard William Plant memorial. Plant, as the plaque states, was the "first Burlington boy" to die in World War I. VFW Post #782 is named the "Howard Plant Post" in his honor. Plant died in 1917, so this ceremony marked the 40th anniversary of his death.
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- Title
- Veterans of Foreign Wars
- Description
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1959 photo of a ceremony at Battery Park, very likely at the veterans memorial dedicated to Howard W. Plant. C. Douglas Cairns, Mayor of Burlington (perhaps former mayor by this date) is standing at a microphone, addressing the crowd. An elderly lady--perhaps a relative of Plant's-- stands apart...
Show more1959 photo of a ceremony at Battery Park, very likely at the veterans memorial dedicated to Howard W. Plant. C. Douglas Cairns, Mayor of Burlington (perhaps former mayor by this date) is standing at a microphone, addressing the crowd. An elderly lady--perhaps a relative of Plant's-- stands apart from the crowd to view the granite memorial. A number of onlookers from the neighborhood, plus other veterans, have gathered for the occasion.
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- Title
- Veterans of Foreign Wars
- Description
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1952 photo of a wreath-laying ceremony at Battery Park at the VFW memorial dedicated to Howard W. Plant. Plant, the first Burlington casualty of World War I, died on 6 Dec. 1917, so this event may be a 35th anniversary commemoration. Many veterans and military personnel, some carrying American...
Show more1952 photo of a wreath-laying ceremony at Battery Park at the VFW memorial dedicated to Howard W. Plant. Plant, the first Burlington casualty of World War I, died on 6 Dec. 1917, so this event may be a 35th anniversary commemoration. Many veterans and military personnel, some carrying American flags, are gathered near the site. Burlington Mayor J. Edward Moran can be seen on the far left, directly under the flag.
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- Title
- Veterans of Foreign Wars
- Description
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Same event as in mcalB21F12i02 but with a different veteran speaking at the microphone. Very likely Veterans Day at Battery Park.
- Title
- Veterans of Foreign Wars
- Description
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1952 photo (blurry) of the crowd at Memorial Auditorium for a VFW Christmas bazaar (note decorated tree and Santa Claus). Some veterans can be seen wearing their caps. Santa seems to be the center of attention at this moment.
- Title
- Veterans of Foreign Wars
- Description
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1951 candid photo of some of the volunteers at the VFW Christmas bazaar, including Santa Claus. McAllister has captured a lively moment in the group interaction. Venue is Memorial Auditorium.
- Title
- Veterans of Foreign Wars
- Description
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1957 photo showing a gathering of veterans and neighborhood children, probably on Veterans Day. An elderly gentleman (seen in mcalB21F12i01), standing at a microphone, is addressing the crowd. The location is Battery Park (DeSoto/Plymouth dealership seen on far left is Brewer Bros. at No. 1-9...
Show more1957 photo showing a gathering of veterans and neighborhood children, probably on Veterans Day. An elderly gentleman (seen in mcalB21F12i01), standing at a microphone, is addressing the crowd. The location is Battery Park (DeSoto/Plymouth dealership seen on far left is Brewer Bros. at No. 1-9 North Ave., the north edge of Battery Park), and the crowd is facing the memorial placed there in memory of Howard W. Plant, "the first Burlington boy" to die in World War I.
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- Title
- Veterans of Foreign Wars
- Description
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1959 photo of a ceremony at Battery Park, very likely on Veterans Day. An honor guard stands ready to fire one or more volleys--very likely the customary three--in honor of deceased veterans. (Three volleys from seven rifles does not constitute a 21-gun salute, however.) A number of citizens are...
Show more1959 photo of a ceremony at Battery Park, very likely on Veterans Day. An honor guard stands ready to fire one or more volleys--very likely the customary three--in honor of deceased veterans. (Three volleys from seven rifles does not constitute a 21-gun salute, however.) A number of citizens are present. The veterans memorial in Battery Park is dedicated to the memory of Howard W. Plant, first Burlington casualty of World War I.
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- Title
- Veterans of Foreign Wars
- Description
-
Ca. 1951 photo promoting the VFW poppy sale as a fundraising token. A boy presents a poppy to a local dignitary (Mayor Moran of Burlington?) as two veterans look on.
- Title
- Veterans of Foreign Wars
- Description
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Another view of Veterans Day (1957) at Battery Park, Burlington, Vt. Veterans, one soldier in uniform, and children from the neighborhood are present. The speaker at the microphone is as yet unidentified but could easily be a veteran of World War I (see also mcalB21F12i01-mcalB21F12i02).
- Title
- Veterans of Foreign Wars
- Description
-
1957 photo of a Veterans Day memorial at Battery Park in Burlington, Vt. Crowd consists of men and women veterans (many wearing uniforms and/or garrison caps), and children. A few men seem to be lined up to speak at the microphone.
- Title
- Veterans of Foreign Wars
- Description
-
1959 photo of a wreathe-laying ceremony at the VFW war memorial in Battery Park, very likely on Veterans Day. A lady in civilian clothing observes, standing apart from the crowd. She may be a survivor of Howard W. Plant, first Burlington World War I casualty, to whose memory the memorial is...
Show more1959 photo of a wreathe-laying ceremony at the VFW war memorial in Battery Park, very likely on Veterans Day. A lady in civilian clothing observes, standing apart from the crowd. She may be a survivor of Howard W. Plant, first Burlington World War I casualty, to whose memory the memorial is dedicated. A small crowd of veterans, citizens, and children has gathered at the site.
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- Title
- Veterans of Foreign Wars
- Description
-
1952 photo of the crowd at Memorial Auditorium for a VFW Christmas bazaar (note decorated tree and Santa Claus).
- Title
- Veterans of Foreign Wars
- Description
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1945 photo of several men--local dignitaries, servicemen, clergy, and veterans--gathered in downtown Burlington, Vt. (First Baptist Church and auto dealer Charles P. Smith Jr. are in background), very likely for the Armistice (now Veterans) Day parade, the first after the end of World War II. A...
Show more1945 photo of several men--local dignitaries, servicemen, clergy, and veterans--gathered in downtown Burlington, Vt. (First Baptist Church and auto dealer Charles P. Smith Jr. are in background), very likely for the Armistice (now Veterans) Day parade, the first after the end of World War II. A few women and children can be seen in the background. On the far left, in light fedora and overcoat, is Arthur W. Dow, state editor of the Burlington Free Press, a determined impresario of the performing arts who brought legendary musicians to Burlington, and editor of a column "Vermonters Serving under the U.S. Flag." Tragically, Dow suffered a heart attack and died just two weeks after this photo was taken.
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- Title
- Veterans of Foreign Wars
- Description
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1957 photo of a gathering of veterans and onlookers (mostly children) at Battery Park, Burlington, Vt. Among the several American flags is the standard for the local VFW Howard Plant Post. Several men are in full uniform, some wearing garrison caps; almost all are saluting. The occasion may be...
Show more1957 photo of a gathering of veterans and onlookers (mostly children) at Battery Park, Burlington, Vt. Among the several American flags is the standard for the local VFW Howard Plant Post. Several men are in full uniform, some wearing garrison caps; almost all are saluting. The occasion may be Veterans Day, or the 40th anniversary of the death of Howard William Plant, first Burlington casualty in World War I.
Show less
- Title
- Veterans of Foreign Wars
- Description
-
1959 photo of a ceremony at Battery Park, very likely at the veterans memorial dedicated to Howard W. Plant. An officer, perhaps a veteran, is reading a passage from a booklet. A number of onlookers from the neighborhood, plus other veterans, have gathered for the occasion.