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 group photo of young women assembled outside in front of a large brick building. Class portrait? Photo #1.
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- Portraits - Unidentified Groups
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Ca. 1945 photo of a group of young women, dressed for a formal ball. Identity of group, venue, and occasion unknown.
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- Portraits - Unidentified Groups
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Mid 1950s photo of young people with several adults gathered in a rustic restaurant. Overhead hangs a wooden log chandelier. See mcalB16F07i08 for a 1953 photo of another group. Photo #1.
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- Portraits - Unidentified Groups
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Ca. 1945 photo of a group of young women, very likely a sorority, gathered for a celebration. Identity, venue, and occasion unknown.
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- Portraits - Unidentified Groups
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Ca. 1946 photo of a group of young women (sorority plus house mother?) at a festive dinner party. Identity of group, venue, and occasion unknown.
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- Portraits - Unidentified Groups
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A large group of young people along with a few older adults gather at a rustic restaurant(?) for a special meal or event. Knotty pine paneled walls, hard wood floor and a chandelier made from wooden logs. Dated 1949 or 1950. Printed from a damaged negative.
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1951 group of young people and adults seated at dining tables at a rustic restaurant. Knotty pine walls, hard wood floor, chandelier made from wooden logs with horns and a mirror ball attached. Photo #3.
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- Portraits - Unidentified Groups
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Ca. 1945 photo of a group of young women, all dressed very elegantly perhaps for an evening formal or other social occasion. Identity of group, location, occasion unknown.
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- Portraits - Unidentified Groups
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1937 photo of a group of young women, with five male cooks and kitchen staff standing behind them. Location, occasion unknown.
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1947 photo of a group of young women at a formal dinner. The lady seated left of center--somewhat older than the others--may be the house mother of a sorority. She is seen in mcalB15F19i08, along no doubt with a few of the women in this photo.
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- Portraits - Unidentified Groups
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1951 or 1952 portrait photo of young people with several adults gathered at a rustic restaurant. Knotty pine walls, wooden log chandelier. Photo #3.
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- Portraits - Unidentified Groups
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1944 photo of the Sisters of Alpha Chi Omega sorority (residence: 384 Main St., Burlington, Vt.). Some of the middle-aged adults may be faculty advisers. (See also mcalB15F14i06.)
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Large group of young women (see mcalB15F16i01) gathered at a venue with trademark lattice decoration. Occasion unknown.
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Four young women (teenagers?, high school students?) stand in a row on a stage. Three are in identical outfits. Photo #2.
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1944 photo of William H. Wills, Governor of Vt. (1941-1945), is receiving perhaps a lapel pin from the young woman on the right, who may be his secretary or--if indeed he is receiving an honor--a representative of a group bestowing the honor. The man on the left remains unidentified, as does the...
Show more1944 photo of William H. Wills, Governor of Vt. (1941-1945), is receiving perhaps a lapel pin from the young woman on the right, who may be his secretary or--if indeed he is receiving an honor--a representative of a group bestowing the honor. The man on the left remains unidentified, as does the young woman, but he is not the Lieut. Gov., Mortimer Proctor. A photo of the governor's wife, Hazel McLeod Wills, is on the desk. Location is probably the Vermont State House in Montpelier. Photo #4.
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- Title
- Portraits - Unidentified Groups
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Ca. 1945 photo of a group of young women, all dressed very elegantly perhaps for an evening formal or other social occasion. Identity of group, location, occasion unknown.
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- Portraits - Unidentified Groups
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Ca. 1946 photo of young women (plus one elderly woman: a sorority house mother, perhaps?) dressed for an evening formal event. Identity of group, venue, and occasion unknown.
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- Portraits - Unidentified Groups
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Ca. 1946 photo of a group of young women (sorority plus house mother?) at a festive dinner party. Identity of group, venue, and occasion unknown.
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- Portraits - Unidentified Groups
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1958 photo of group of young people and a few adults gathered at a rustic interior restaurant. Photo #2.
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- Portraits - Unidentified Groups
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1953 photo of young people with several adults gathered in a rustic restaurant. Wooden log chandelier overhead is missing one light bulb. See mcalB16F07i08 for another exposure of same group. Photo #2.