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
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- Camp Birchcliffe
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1945 photo of the dining hall with chair back covers at Camp Birchcliffe, Grand Isle, Vermont. See also mcalB04F26i05
- Title
- Camp Birchcliffe
- Description
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1945 photo of the dining hall with chair back covers at Camp Birchcliffe, Grand Isle, Vermont. See also mcalB04F26i06
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- House Furnishings
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An upholstered arm chair in a floral print fabric with scroll hand rests, wooden feet and lower arms of wood.
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- House Furnishings
- Description
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Photo of an overstuffed upholstered chair in a brocade fabric and wooden ball shaped front feet.
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- Houses - Unidentified
- Description
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A yard area with evergreen trees, folding canvas lawn chairs, an Adirondack style lounge chair, a bird bath, wooden lattice arbor or trellis, wooden picket fence in the back. A one story building seen to the far right.
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- Houses - Unidentified - Interiors
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An interior view of a living room area perhaps in a camp, cottage or hunting lodge. Overstuffed chairs and other comfortable furniture furnish the room. Many animal heads (some foxes?) are hung on the walls. Rifles are mounted overhead.
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- Houses - Unidentified - Interiors
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1945 photo of a living room with a fireplace decorated for Christmas. Evergreen bows are on the mantel. Two small trees are on each side of the fireplace and strung with garlands and lights.
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- Houses - Unidentified - Interiors
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An elegant upscale dining room. The wide plank wooden floor are covered with a large area rug. Antique furniture and paintings are in the room. There is a floor to ceiling window to the far right. Elaborate architectural molding around the room over archways and over the window.
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- Houses - Unidentified - Interiors
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Undated interior photo of a large parlor or living room with a fireplace, floor to ceiling windows, wicker or rattan furniture and large area rug on the floor. Embossed in lower right corner.
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- Interiors (Unidentified)
- Description
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Trinity College dining hall (cafeteria) with tables and chairs arranged in dining style. Overhead lighting fixtures have a futuristic look to them. Undated but may be 1950s. McAuley Hall? Photo #?
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- Interiors (Unidentified)
- Description
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View of a dining hall with tables and place settings. At least two tables have tree trunks for legs. The floor is made of large stone slabs. Overhead lighting fixtures have hanging shades. Chairs are wooden straight spindle back with woven or cane seats. Location unknown but date may be 1920s or...
Show moreView of a dining hall with tables and place settings. At least two tables have tree trunks for legs. The floor is made of large stone slabs. Overhead lighting fixtures have hanging shades. Chairs are wooden straight spindle back with woven or cane seats. Location unknown but date may be 1920s or 1930s.
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- Title
- Memorial Auditorium, Burlington - Events
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View of the balcony and main floor of the Memorial Auditorium in Burlington, Vermont. Wooden slat folding chairs form rows of seating.
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- Miscellaneous
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Two upholstered chairs. Dated 1935 / 1936.
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- Portraits - Children
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1953 photo of an infant baby being held in sitting position by her mother's hands for a portrait. Same child as in mcalB14F07i01
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- Portraits - Children
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1953 photo of an infant baby placed in a sitting position in an upholstered chair for a portrait.
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- Portraits - Children (Parties)
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A mom and dad pose with their two year old child celebrating her second birthday. 1945.
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- Portraits - Individuals
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1937 portrait photo of a woman seated in a wooden slat chair on a dirt path in a large formal flower garden. Same woman as in mcalB16F12i06 and mcalB16F12i07.
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- Portraits - Individuals
- Description
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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
- Description
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1940s portrait photo of an elderly woman smiling slightly seated in a room in an upholstered chair. Photo #5.
- Title
- Portraits - Individuals
- Description
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1945 portrait photo of a young girl in a room seated in an upholstered chair.