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
- Mount St. Mary's
- Date Created
- 1954
- Description
-
1954 photo of Sacred Heart Chapel at Mount St. Mary's in Burlington.
- Title
- Mount St. Mary's Academy - Buildings and Surroundings
- Description
-
1935 or 1936. Mount St. Mary's Academy dining hall heavily decorated with crepe paper streamers attached to the ceiling. Tables are elaborately set with food with each having a cloth place mat draping the table covering and a place card for a Christmas meal. Columns are adorned with streamers and...
Show more1935 or 1936. Mount St. Mary's Academy dining hall heavily decorated with crepe paper streamers attached to the ceiling. Tables are elaborately set with food with each having a cloth place mat draping the table covering and a place card for a Christmas meal. Columns are adorned with streamers and evergreen bows. See also mcalA15F08i13 and mcalA11F19i07
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- Title
- Mount St. Mary's Academy - Miscellaneous
- Description
-
1955 photo of two teenagers (students?) and a nun gathered around a library table in the school library.
- Title
- Mount St. Mary's Academy - Miscellaneous
- Description
-
1946 photo of some of the religious books at Mount St. Mary's Academy displayed in one of the school's rooms. Titles include The Song of Bernadette, Month of Roses, Reed of God and a book by Joyce Kilmer.
- Title
- Mount St. Mary's Academy - Miscellaneous
- Description
-
1941 photo of a large open room at Mount St. Mary's Academy with students enjoying refreshments. Photo #17.
- Title
- Mount St. Mary's Academy - Miscellaneous
- Description
-
1947 photo of Mount St. Mary's Academy students studying in the school library.
- Title
- Mt. St. Mary's Convent
- Description
-
A Sister of Mercy kneeling at the Communion railing in the Sacred Heart Chapel at Mount St. Mary's. Built in the late 1880s, the convent would accommodate as many as 182 professed sisters, novices, and postulants affiliated with the Sisters of Mercy. The chapel features a broad, tiled center...
Show moreA Sister of Mercy kneeling at the Communion railing in the Sacred Heart Chapel at Mount St. Mary's. Built in the late 1880s, the convent would accommodate as many as 182 professed sisters, novices, and postulants affiliated with the Sisters of Mercy. The chapel features a broad, tiled center aisle, with pews on either side facing each other for antiphonal chanting. The sanctuary is a study in symmetry, with Gothic-arched stained-glass windows and arched passageways on either side of the altar. The abundance of polished white marble and/or granite shows that the Sisters spared no expense in creating an atmosphere of reverence for generations to come. Photo #1. Undated.
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- Title
- Portraits - Children
- Description
-
1945 photo of toddler seated in front of a Christmas tree with presents in a living room that include a googly eye mask face doll and a wooden wheeled riding horse. Note: Western Electric metal nondial space-saver wall telephone (1930-1957) with answer only capability seen to the right.
- Title
- Portraits - Children
- Description
-
1952 photo of two boys seated in front of their family Christmas tree with presents. Younger boy holds a Newell vacuum repeater BURP toy gun (that shoots plastic balls). The older boy holds what may be a ukulele. The family dog is on the floor between them. See also mcalB15F05i14 for the whole...
Show more1952 photo of two boys seated in front of their family Christmas tree with presents. Younger boy holds a Newell vacuum repeater BURP toy gun (that shoots plastic balls). The older boy holds what may be a ukulele. The family dog is on the floor between them. See also mcalB15F05i14 for the whole family.
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- Title
- Portraits - Children
- Description
-
1956 or 1957 photo of three children in front of their family Christmas tree.
- Title
- Portraits - Children
- Description
-
1957 or 1958 photo of two children standing in front of their Christmas tree surrounded by presents the family received. A baby carriage, dolls, a toy airplane, labeled box with air rifle outfit, a toaster and clothes are seen displayed. See also mcalB14F09i01
- Title
- Portraits - Children
- Description
-
1945 Christmas portrait of a little boy holding a football with Christmas tree, toy and presents nearby. The name Jackie Simonson written on the child's blackboard behind him.
- Title
- Portraits - Children
- Description
-
1951 photo of a young boy sitting in living room in front of Christmas tree surrounded by presents the family received. Toys, board game seen among kitchen canisters, pair of bedroom lamps. See also mcalB15F04i10 for the whole family.
- Title
- Portraits - Children
- Description
-
A photo of two young children seated upon an upholstered stool each dressed in a German / Austrian / Tyrolean type outfit without the hat on the boy. A golden retriever dog lays in front. A fireplace is seen behind. See also mcalA14F16i06 and mcalA14F16i08
- Title
- Portraits - Children
- Description
-
1950 photo of an infant in a living room in front of a Christmas tree. Child is seated the on arm of an upholstered chair. A satin quilted baby blanket is spread out on the floor. Mother smiles at the far left. See also mcalB15F03i19 for mother and father with baby.
- Title
- Portraits - Children
- Description
-
1952 photo of what may be the same children seen in mcalB14F06i09. Seen here during another Christmas with their toys. Older girl and her younger sister each hold a doll. Their older brother stands beside them with a toy cash register placed on the floor in front of him.
- Title
- Portraits - Children
- Description
-
1956 or 1957 photo of four children in front of the Christmas tree with their toys. Same family of children [plus one?] as in mcalB14F05i15 taken in 1949 or 1950? See also mcalB14F09i02
- Title
- Portraits - Children
- Description
-
1946 or 1947 photo of a young boy and girl (siblings?) in their home with Christmas tree and presents. The girl sits on a tricycle with her small purse hanging from the handle bars. Same children as seen in mcalB14F04i11
- Title
- Portraits - Children
- Description
-
1949 / 1950 photo of two boys standing in a living room next to a Christmas tree. Presents are displayed and include toy trucks, cars, toy filing station. The brothers wear matching cowboy outfits.
- Title
- Portraits - Children
- Description
-
1949 / 1950 photo of two boys standing in a living room next to a Christmas tree. Presents are displayed and include toy trucks, cars, toy filing station. The brothers wear matching cowboy outfits.