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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1949 photo of a Jewish family celebrating. A menorah sits on the dining table with moms, a grandmother and children gathered around.
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- Portraits - Children (Parties)
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1949 photo of a Jewish family celebrating. A menorah sits on the dining table with moms, a grandmother and children gathered around.
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- Portraits - Children (Parties)
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1945 children's birthday party with guests gathered around the table set with cake and individual cupcakes for each child. Photo 1. See also mcalB14F12i01
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- Portraits - Children (Parties)
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1948 or 1949 group portrait photo of several children (all wearing party hats) and four women gathered in a living room. Photo #2. See also mcalB14F12i22
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1946 or 1947 photo of a large birthday gathering. About 20 children attend. A long table is elaborately decorated with birthday plates, cups and napkins. Crepe paper streamers hang from above. Photo #2. See also mcalB14F12i23.
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- Portraits - Children (Parties)
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1945 photo of a young boy's 2nd birthday. The number 2 clearly seen on the cake on the dining table. Other children seated with the birthday boy.
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- Portraits - Family
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1958 indoor photo of family members from mcalB15F09i03, with the twins being held this time by the grandmother, with mother behind her, and great-grandmother sitting behind the young boy.
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1945 indoor photo taken at Christmas of a mother with two young children playing with their new toys.
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Mid-1930s outdoor photo of three women, from possibly three generations, and a young child, all very likely in the Chester M. Kerr family. Kerr, a salesman, owned this house at 283 So. Prospect St., Burlington (see mcalB14F14i02).
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1945 indoor photo of a woman holding a young girl.
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- Portraits - Family
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1944 indoor photo of mother and daughter who holds a large composition doll with sleep eyes. (Photo apparently damaged.) See also mcalB14F16i03
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- Portraits - Family
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1944 outdoor photo of young family--husband, wife, two sons, possibly twins, and a daughter who holds a mask face cloth doll. See also mcalB14F15i01.
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- Portraits - Family
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Ca. 1957 outdoor photo of the family seen in mcalB15F08i02, but this time with the children lined up in order by height. This family is seen also in: mcalA09F12i34 and mcalA15F02i30-i35.
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1949 - 1950 family portrait. Same family as seen in mcalB15F02i15 and mcalB15F02i16. Seen here inside home with painting on the wall.
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1957 or 1958 family photo of a man, woman and four children.
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- Portraits - Family
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1944 outdoor photo of a young couple and child taken in McAllister's backyard at 47 No. Winooski Ave., Burlington. See also mcalA12F12i03 for later family photo with other members.
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- Portraits - Family
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Ca. 1956 indoor Christmas photo of a couple and their 3 children in front of the tree.
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- Portraits - Family
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1957 or 1958 multi generation family photo taken outside a brick building. A mother and her two daughters wear matching dresses. Two other mothers hold their infants in their laps while the fathers stand behind. Grandparents are seated in front with one young girl. See also mcalB15F08i06 for the...
Show more1957 or 1958 multi generation family photo taken outside a brick building. A mother and her two daughters wear matching dresses. Two other mothers hold their infants in their laps while the fathers stand behind. Grandparents are seated in front with one young girl. See also mcalB15F08i06 for the same family and .mcalA15F03i11 for slightly different exposure.
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- Portraits - Family
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1951 family portrait photo seated in their home. Seen are a father and mother with two boys and an infant held by the wife.
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1945 photo of a formal studio tin-type portrait (ca. 1850-1900) of a small family--husband, wife, and 2 children. Older photo has been attached to boards that has flaking paint.