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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Ca. 1956 indoor Christmas photo of a couple and their two children gathered near the tree.
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- Portraits - Family
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1948 or 1949 group family portrait photo inside their home. See also mcalB14F05i06 for just the three children and mcalB15F01i04 for the family outdoors.
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1945 indoor photo of extended family, including two navy seamen, and several young children. A radio on its stand to the right. A wall flower holder seen behind to the left. See also mcalB14F24i01 for woman and two sailors only.
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1952 family Christmas portrait with tree, sled, sand truck, doll. Same family as seen in mcalB14F06i06, mcalB15F03i19, mcalB15F04i08, mcalB15F04i09, mcalB15F04i10, mcalB15F05i17
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1949 - 1950 family portrait. Same family as seen in mcalB15F02i15. Seen here inside.
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- Portraits - Family
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Ca. 1957 outdoor photo of three generations of a prosperous looking family.
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- Portraits - Family
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1951 family portrait photo with mother, father, their two boys and new baby. The toy service station seen in the far right corner. See also mcalB14F06i08 for photo with just the children.
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1957 or 1958 multi generation family photo taken outside. 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 mcalA15F03i11 for the same family.
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- Portraits - Family
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1945 outdoor photo of couple standing on well platform (with water pump) with two small children and a dog. Large field and trees in the background.
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- Portraits - Family
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1952 indoor Christmas photo of a couple, their 2 sons, and the family dog, unwrapping presents including a Newell vacuum repeater BURP toy gun (that shoots plastic ball). The older boy holds what may be a ukulele. See also mcalB14F06i13
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- Portraits - Family
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1951 indoor photo of three children with their parents, Grandfather and family dog in front of their Christmas tree. A Santa Claus wall hanging decoration seen behind. See also mcalB14F06i04 for just the children. Photo #2.
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- Portraits - Family
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1949 or 1950 group family portrait. They are outdoors on a grassy lawn with trees behind.
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- Portraits - Family
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1945 indoor photo taken at Christmas of a mother holding her child while her son looks ahead with amazement.
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- Portraits - Family
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1949 or 1950 group portrait of four young children and a young woman (oldest sister)
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- Portraits - Family
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1945 indoor photo of mother with small children at Christmas. Is father away, in the armed services?
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- Portraits - Family
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A man, his wife and two children stand outside their house. The same man appears in mcalA09F12i44 holding a carved wooden chain. He is missing his left hand. Duplicate image of mcalA15F02i13
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- Portraits - Family
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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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An outdoor group portrait of an unidentified man and woman with eight children as they stand in front of a wood frame clapboard house. Three children kneel on a toboggan. Same family group also seen in mcalA09F12i34, mcalA15F02i30, i31, i32, i33, i35
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Ca. 1951 indoor photo of couple seen in mcalB15F05i05, now joined by their children. Wallpaper has an exotic look. Family conveys confidence and prosperity.
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- Portraits - Family
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1945 photo of a soldier, his wife and young daughter (grandniece, Joanne Raymond?). Taken in McAllister's backyard at his home 47 No. Winooski Ave, Burlington.