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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- Burlington Lakefront
- Description
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January 9, 1934. Photo #7. View from the south of Elisha Goodsell Dock at the Burlington lake front on Lake Champlain.
- Title
- Burlington Lakefront
- Description
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January 9, 1934. Photo #10. Elisha Goodsell Dock and three converted steam yachts (ferries) during winter at the Burlington lake front on Lake Champlain.
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- Burlington Lakefront
- Description
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February 21, 1944. This view shows the dumping area at the foot of College St. in front of the Central Vermont Freight House. The snow dumped the night before was being bulldozed over the front of the dock into the lake when this picture was taken. Several thousand cubic yards of snow were dumped...
Show moreFebruary 21, 1944. This view shows the dumping area at the foot of College St. in front of the Central Vermont Freight House. The snow dumped the night before was being bulldozed over the front of the dock into the lake when this picture was taken. Several thousand cubic yards of snow were dumped at this point during the winter.
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- Title
- Burlington Lakefront
- Description
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View of the Burlington lake front looking out over a brick building with smokestack toward the breakwater where a boat is approaching. Railroad cars and tracks are also pictured.
- Title
- Burlington Lakefront
- Description
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January 9, 1934. Photo #8. Goodsell Dock and ferry boat, Oneida, at the Burlington lake front on Lake Champlain.
- Title
- Burlington Lakefront
- Description
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January 9, 1934. Photo #6. Elisha Goodsell Dock at the Burlington lake front from the west.
- Title
- Burlington Lakefront
- Description
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April 3, 1932. Four men preparing a diver at the Burlington lake front on Lake Champlain.
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- Burlington Lakefront
- Description
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January 9, 1934. The Admiral and Oneida, two ferries, at anchor at the Burlington lake front.
- Title
- Burlington Street Department Buildings - Construction of Building
- Description
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April 20, 1934. Street Department Central Plant building project Docket no. 2215 (Works Projects Administration)
- Title
- Burlington Street Department Buildings - Equipment
- Description
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1930s or 1940s photograph of a sewer maintenance truck and work crew of the Burlington Street Dept.
- Title
- Burlington Streets: Colchester Ave
- Date Created
- 1929-09-01
- Description
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Sept. 1, 1929. Approach to Burlington end of the Winooski Bridge looking south from Bridge abutment -- Colchester Ave. in foreground with Winooski Lower Road (Riverside Ave) leading off at the right and Barrett Street at the left -- Note the old trolley car tracks and overhead wires after...
Show moreSept. 1, 1929. Approach to Burlington end of the Winooski Bridge looking south from Bridge abutment -- Colchester Ave. in foreground with Winooski Lower Road (Riverside Ave) leading off at the right and Barrett Street at the left -- Note the old trolley car tracks and overhead wires after abandonment. This picture was taken just before construction work started on the new concrete pavement, sidewalk, curb and gutter. Ernest C. Potvin corner store seen to the left behind the parked cars. Photo published in Images of America Burlington, volume 2, p. 50.
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- Title
- Burlington Streets: Colchester Ave
- Date Created
- undated
- Description
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Undated photo but may be late 1920s (1928-1929). View is at the base of Colchester Ave looking up the hill with Lower Winooski Road (Riverside Ave) to the right. Automobiles line up in the intersection. To the far right are billboards and an abandoned trolley car. The cable running across the...
Show moreUndated photo but may be late 1920s (1928-1929). View is at the base of Colchester Ave looking up the hill with Lower Winooski Road (Riverside Ave) to the right. Automobiles line up in the intersection. To the far right are billboards and an abandoned trolley car. The cable running across the photo may be for the no longer used trolley. Construction crew works on street pavement.
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- Title
- Burlington Streets: Colchester Ave
- Date Created
- 1939-10-21
- Description
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View of the base of Colchester Ave at the Winooski Bridge near Barrett Street. Possibly 487 Colchester. Automobiles are parked along the store front of a corner grocery or convenience store (that may be owned by Ernest C. Potvin as listed in the 1929 Burlington City Directory) that advertises...
Show moreView of the base of Colchester Ave at the Winooski Bridge near Barrett Street. Possibly 487 Colchester. Automobiles are parked along the store front of a corner grocery or convenience store (that may be owned by Ernest C. Potvin as listed in the 1929 Burlington City Directory) that advertises cigars, cigarettes and Salada Tea in this Oct. 21, 1929 photo.
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- Title
- Burlington Streets: Lakeside Ave
- Description
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December 11, 1945. City of Burlington, Vermont, Street Department. Lakeside Ave. Pavement Base Construction. This view was taken from a point near the intersection of Conger Ave. looking westerly towards the lake. Note that the temporary wearing surface had been constructed for the base after the...
Show moreDecember 11, 1945. City of Burlington, Vermont, Street Department. Lakeside Ave. Pavement Base Construction. This view was taken from a point near the intersection of Conger Ave. looking westerly towards the lake. Note that the temporary wearing surface had been constructed for the base after the work of mixing and stabilizing the base had been completed as shown in the picture under date Dec. 5, 1945. This stage of construction was done to enable the street to be used during the winter and early spring without experiencing the troubles of early spring break-up of the old dirt and cinder street. The pavement will be completed in the summer of 1946. Note the crushed stone base placed in the driveway after regrading to meet new grades.
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- Title
- Burlington Streets: Main Street (Upper)
- Description
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November 27, 1934 view of Main Street looking east from the city reservoir. Photo #16A 11-27-34 NRM Project #608. Construction completed.
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- Burlington Streets: Main Street (Upper)
- Description
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September 1, 1933 photo of upper Main Street looking east from opposite farm buildings before widening and resurfacing of the road by the Burlington Street Dept.
- Title
- Burlington Streets: Main Street (Upper)
- Description
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An overturned automobile lays in the intersection of upper Main Street. A small crowd of onlookers stand by the curb. This photo appears in Images of America Burlington, p. 67. May date from the 1920s.
- Title
- Burlington Streets: Main Street (Upper)
- Description
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Undated photo (maybe 1920s) of an automobile accident. Car has over turned near an intersection (possibly Willard Street). To the right is a directional road sign indicating Rutland, Middlebury and Vergennes. Another view of this incident is in the collection (mcalA05F1508) and another is...
Show moreUndated photo (maybe 1920s) of an automobile accident. Car has over turned near an intersection (possibly Willard Street). To the right is a directional road sign indicating Rutland, Middlebury and Vergennes. Another view of this incident is in the collection (mcalA05F1508) and another is published in Images of America Burlington, p. 67.
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- Title
- Burlington Streets: Riverside Ave.
- Description
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Undated photo but may be 1929 or early 1930s view of portion of Riverside Ave looking toward Winooski, the bridge and the Champlain Mills during road construction project by the Burlington Street Dept.
- Title
- Burlington Streets: Riverside Ave.
- Description
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Undated photo of Riverside Ave but may date from 1929 or early 1930s. Shows city street dept workers resurfacing a portion of the road as it approaches the intersection of Riverside and Colchester Ave. near the Winooski Bridge. The Champlain Mill (branch of the American Woolen Company) in...
Show moreUndated photo of Riverside Ave but may date from 1929 or early 1930s. Shows city street dept workers resurfacing a portion of the road as it approaches the intersection of Riverside and Colchester Ave. near the Winooski Bridge. The Champlain Mill (branch of the American Woolen Company) in Winooski is seen in the center background.
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