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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- Road Construction
- Description
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December 7, 1938. Road construction crew repaves a city street as part of the P. W. A. Federal Emergency Administration of Public Works street improvements. Project No. VT 1097-F.
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- Road Construction
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A steamroller in operation during a paving project on an unidentified Burlington street.
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- Road Construction
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Undated photograph taken at the start of the blasting project on the hill located just north of Institute Road on North Avenue.
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- Road Construction
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March 6, 1934. City Burlington Vermont. CWA (Civil Works Administration) Project #402-J. Telford stone base construction. Note winter conditions. Can someone note location?
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- Road Construction
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September 10, 1928. An end of a strip of road being constructed is seen as workmen apply a road surface. Billboards are in the distance along with a sign for "Tourists."
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- Road Construction
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Undated photo of a road work crew laying surface material.
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- Road Construction
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May 18, 1931. Men operate large tank truck as it sprays material on the road surface.
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- Road Construction
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June 29, 1931. Work crew men seen working crushed stone on surface of road during construction.
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- Road Construction
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Dated 1928. Road crew work with machinery smoothing the newly laid pavement.
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- Road Construction
- Description
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September 10, 1928. Workmen, bags of cement, trucks, machinery and road side billboards all are seen at this road construction site. On the photo's left side is seen strung lines to plumb the straight edge of the road side.
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- Road Construction
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Members of the road construction crew smooth the surface of the street with shovel and machine. A new curb is to the left. A stone wall is seen to the right.
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- Road Construction
- Description
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August 28, 1931. View of a Burlington residential street under construction. Members of the road crew of the Burlington Street Dept work along side a cement mixer. Piles of bags of Lone Star are seen lined all along the work site.
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- Road Construction
- Description
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A road crew at work in a paving project on an unidentified Burlington street.
- Title
- Sewer Projects
- Description
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View of a deep rocky trench and crew members manipulating a long timber across a wooden plank overpass. Hoses and other equipment seen in this wooded sewer project site.
- Title
- Sewer Projects
- Description
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June 1929. Three crew members (and several young boys in the back) are at the sewer project site where a break is in the ravine sewer made by pressure from an exceptional rain storm. Note the clay brick (tile) construction of the damaged pipe and the new metal pipes piled up in back. See also...
Show moreJune 1929. Three crew members (and several young boys in the back) are at the sewer project site where a break is in the ravine sewer made by pressure from an exceptional rain storm. Note the clay brick (tile) construction of the damaged pipe and the new metal pipes piled up in back. See also mcalA16F13i32
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- Title
- Sewer Projects
- Description
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February 23, 1940. This view shows the construction of the North End Sewer in front of the George Farrington and the Ralph Thayer residence opposite the entrance to the Burlington Rendering Company's plant. This section of the project is a 15" sewer being constructed entirely with hand labor,...
Show moreFebruary 23, 1940. This view shows the construction of the North End Sewer in front of the George Farrington and the Ralph Thayer residence opposite the entrance to the Burlington Rendering Company's plant. This section of the project is a 15" sewer being constructed entirely with hand labor, using sledge hammers and wedges for excavating through the frost. The Universal Crane used for pulling sheeting and handling materials on the job can be seen in the distance where the excavator is being used for installing the 18" pipe. The depth of the sewer at this location is approximately 12 to 13 feet.
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- Title
- Sewer Projects
- Description
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April 25, 1932. Members of a crew work on a major sewer project near the railroad tracks in Burlington. Seen here is a support structure of rebar in a huge trench.
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- Sewer Projects
- Description
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October 7, 1946. Many tree roots are exposed in a very deep and narrow trench at a sewer project site. A crew member stands at the far end of the trench.
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- Sewer Projects
- Description
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March 9, 1932. Members of a crew construct a platform during a major sewer project. Railway cars are seen in the background.
- Title
- Sewer Projects
- Description
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View of a large dug out area with a crew member using a hose to blast water.