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
Show less
Related Archival Collection
Pages
- Title
- Burlington Streets: Ledge Road
- Description
-
January 23, 1935. V.E.R.A. (Vermont Emergency Relief Administration) Sewer Project On upper end of Ledge Road at intersection of So. Prospect Street. Note the heavy rock excavation.
- Title
- Burlington Streets: Ledge Road
- Description
-
October 9, 1935 view of intersection of Route 7 (Shelburne Road or Street) and bottom of Ledge Road as it ascends up hill to the east. City street dept workmen do road or sewer construction. A dept. truck supplies power.
- Title
- Burlington Streets: Ledge Road
- Description
-
Dated photo may be Feb. 1935. V.E.R.A. Sewer Project. Looking East on Ledge Road. Note the amount of rock excavation and the old 8" sewer pipe which is to be replaced with 15" pipe.
- Title
- Burlington Streets: Locust St.
- Description
-
Undated view of Locust Street. May be 1930s sidewalk construction project by city street dept.
- Title
- Burlington Streets: Locust St.
- Description
-
Undated photo but may be 1930s road construction by city street dept. A portion of the road has been dug up.
- Title
- Burlington Streets: Locust St.
- Description
-
May 8, 1939. Locust Street, WPA Project No. 665-12-1-38 looking easterly from Pine Street while constructing telford base and sidewalk filling.
- Title
- Burlington Streets: Main Street (4X5's)
- Description
-
Mar. 18, 1940. This view shows the Snow King Rotary Snow Plow in section mounted on the front of the Street Department's Walter's Snow Fighter Truck in front of the Post Office on Main Street. Note the discharge spout delivering snow over the high side boards of the five cubic yard truck. This...
Show moreMar. 18, 1940. This view shows the Snow King Rotary Snow Plow in section mounted on the front of the Street Department's Walter's Snow Fighter Truck in front of the Post Office on Main Street. Note the discharge spout delivering snow over the high side boards of the five cubic yard truck. This loader is capable of loading a five cubic yard load in less than one-half minutes and has frequently loaded one hundred-five cubic yard truck loads of new fallen snow in approximately one and one-half hours working time including delays because of traffic and street intersections clean up.
Show less
- Title
- Burlington Streets: Main Street (4X5's)
- Description
-
March 18, 1940 late winter view of Main Street in front of the Strong Theatre building. The Snow King Rotary Snow Plow is mounted on the city street dept Walter's Snow Fighter Truck as it performs snow removal. Note the movie marque at the Strong, "The Marines Fly High" starring Richard Dix and...
Show moreMarch 18, 1940 late winter view of Main Street in front of the Strong Theatre building. The Snow King Rotary Snow Plow is mounted on the city street dept Walter's Snow Fighter Truck as it performs snow removal. Note the movie marque at the Strong, "The Marines Fly High" starring Richard Dix and Chester Morris.
Show less
- Title
- Burlington Streets: Main Street (4X5's)
- Description
-
Undated (may be late 1920s or early 1930s) overhead view of the continuation of asphalt application over the old brick pavement on Main Street between South Winooski Ave. and Church Street. Note the old trolley car tracks which are being covered up. Cable wires are still strung and barely visible...
Show moreUndated (may be late 1920s or early 1930s) overhead view of the continuation of asphalt application over the old brick pavement on Main Street between South Winooski Ave. and Church Street. Note the old trolley car tracks which are being covered up. Cable wires are still strung and barely visible overhead. On the right is the Post Office. Further up the street is the Strong Theatre building.
Show less
- Title
- Burlington Streets: Main Street (4X5's)
- Description
-
Undated (maybe be late 1920s or early 1930s) of Battery and Main (?) Streets looking East. The cable car wires remain overhead but the street has been repaved covering the old trolley tracks.
- Title
- Burlington Streets: Main Street (4X5's)
- Description
-
Undated view of Main Street and Winooski Ave looking West. An operator sits atop a street sweeper by Elgin. Behind to the left is the Strong Theatre building and beyond that the Post Office. To the right is a horse and buggy with milk containers. Trolley car tracks are barely visible beneath the...
Show moreUndated view of Main Street and Winooski Ave looking West. An operator sits atop a street sweeper by Elgin. Behind to the left is the Strong Theatre building and beyond that the Post Office. To the right is a horse and buggy with milk containers. Trolley car tracks are barely visible beneath the back wheel of the Elgin.
Show less
- Title
- Burlington Streets: Main Street (4X5's)
- Description
-
Undated view of street going up hill.
- Title
- Burlington Streets: Main Street (4X5's)
- Description
-
Undated of Main Street of what appears to be near the University of Vermont campus looking west. To the right in the distance may be Morrill Hall and to the far right is the peak of the cupola of Old Mill. To the extreme right is the Johnson House.
- Title
- Burlington Streets: Main Street (Lower)
- Description
-
May 5, 1943. Rail Removal Project by the city street dept. of Burlington, Vermont. This view shows a close-up of the design of the "A" frame and the method of attaching it to the end of the crane boom. The corner of City Hall can be seen to the left in the background with its cupola rising above.
- Title
- Burlington Streets: Main Street (Lower)
- Description
-
May, 5, 1943. Rail Removal Project. Burlington, Vermont by the city street dept. This view shows the construction of the "A" Frame and the method of attaching the frame to the end of the 26 foot boom of the Universal Truck Crane. The chain falls attached to the end of the frame and the boom were...
Show moreMay, 5, 1943. Rail Removal Project. Burlington, Vermont by the city street dept. This view shows the construction of the "A" Frame and the method of attaching the frame to the end of the 26 foot boom of the Universal Truck Crane. The chain falls attached to the end of the frame and the boom were used for raising the frame when moving or when rough or uneven surface would not allow the frame to slide over the pavement without digging into the surface. Behind to the left is 174 Main, location of the Burlington Mutual Fire Insurance Company and on the right is 184 Main location of Gove, the Florist.
Show less
- Title
- Burlington Streets: Main Street (Lower)
- Description
-
September 1, 1929 dated photo. Main Street looking west from the easterly side of South Winooski Ave. just before resurfacing with stone filled sheet asphalt paving. Note the old trolley (cable) car tracks and overhead wires which have been abandoned, also note the irregular and worn condition of...
Show moreSeptember 1, 1929 dated photo. Main Street looking west from the easterly side of South Winooski Ave. just before resurfacing with stone filled sheet asphalt paving. Note the old trolley (cable) car tracks and overhead wires which have been abandoned, also note the irregular and worn condition of the old brick pavement. Strong Theatre, Post Office and mansard roofed building (167-169 Main) that once was a place of worship for the First Baptist Church on the left. Retail businesses on the right. Automobiles parked on both sides of the street. In the far right foreground a man leans against a street light pole.
Show less
- Title
- Burlington Streets: Main Street (Lower)
- Description
-
April 29, 1943. Rail Removal Project by the Burlington Street Dept. Burlington, Vermont. In progress at intersection of Main and Church Street looking east. Note the method of removing brick pavement and breaking the concrete base with the aid of paving breakers. One truck mounted Chicago...
Show moreApril 29, 1943. Rail Removal Project by the Burlington Street Dept. Burlington, Vermont. In progress at intersection of Main and Church Street looking east. Note the method of removing brick pavement and breaking the concrete base with the aid of paving breakers. One truck mounted Chicago-Pneumatic air compressor (#110 cu. tt. per min. capacity) is shown at the right operating two paving breakers and an Ingersoll-Rand steel wheel mounted compressor (#160 cu. Ft. per min, capacity) with auxillary tanks is shown on the left drawn by an Allis Chalmers IB tractor. This auxillary tank arrangement was to provide extra storage capacity of air for use with additional paving breakers and more especially for the use of an Ingersoll-Rand Wagon Drill which was used in drilling through the solid concrete on Church St. and on Winooski Bridge. Large corner building on the left is location of Upton's Sandwich Shoppe at 156 Church Street(was earlier location of Burlington Sweet Shop), near top of building is still seen sign for Burlington Mutual Fire Insurance Company at 174 Main Street. To the left of Upton's is Howard's Grill at 152 Church Street ground level and above is billiards owned by William P. Denham.
Show less
- Title
- Burlington Streets: Main Street (Lower)
- Description
-
May 5, 1943. Trolley track Rail Removal Project by crew members of the Burlington street dept. Burlington, Vermont. This view looking west towards City Hall (seen in the upper right corner) shows the rails being removed from Main Street in front of the U.S. Post Office where a hot-mix asphalt...
Show moreMay 5, 1943. Trolley track Rail Removal Project by crew members of the Burlington street dept. Burlington, Vermont. This view looking west towards City Hall (seen in the upper right corner) shows the rails being removed from Main Street in front of the U.S. Post Office where a hot-mix asphalt pavement had been constructed over the top of the rails to a depth of 2 to 3 inches. On the left further down the street is the sign for the Hotel Vermont.
Show less
- Title
- Burlington Streets: Main Street (Lower)
- Description
-
Feb. 17, 1944. Snow Removal Project by the Burlington street dept. of Burlington, Vermont. This view looking east shows the results of using salt as an aid to snow removal and safe driving conditions. Note the height of the snow banks where the snow has been plowed to the shoulder and the absence...
Show moreFeb. 17, 1944. Snow Removal Project by the Burlington street dept. of Burlington, Vermont. This view looking east shows the results of using salt as an aid to snow removal and safe driving conditions. Note the height of the snow banks where the snow has been plowed to the shoulder and the absence of snow in the traveled portion of the street only a few hours after the application of the salt. To the right are businesses that include Amoco gas station, Chrysler car dealer.
Show less
- Title
- Burlington Streets: Main Street (Lower)
- Description
-
May, 5, 1943. Rail Removal Project, Burlington, Vermont. This view shows 3 stages of the project on Main St. in front of the U.S. Post Office (on the left). In the foreground can be seen the concrete base which is just being poured in the trench on the right and the sub-base ready to receive the...
Show moreMay, 5, 1943. Rail Removal Project, Burlington, Vermont. This view shows 3 stages of the project on Main St. in front of the U.S. Post Office (on the left). In the foreground can be seen the concrete base which is just being poured in the trench on the right and the sub-base ready to receive the concrete in the trench on the left, also 6 inch header at point of switch. The trench on the right beyond the header is ready for the rail to be removed. The rail is being removed in the background from the trench on the left by aid of the "A" frame and derrick. 2 inch hot asphalt plant mix will be constructed on top of the concrete base to finish the pavement. Also on the left center is the mansard roofed building that once was a place of worship for the First Baptist Church. Across the street from that building is seen a corner of the City Hall. On the right are businesses including the Federal Savings and Loan.
Show less