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
- Title
- Burlington Streets: Flynn Ave.
- Date Created
- 1931-11-14
- Description
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Photograph dated Nov.14, 1931 of Park Avenue (renamed Flynn Avenue in 1934) looking westward from the intersection of Park Avenue and Pine Street. The entrance to St. Anthony's Church can be seen to the left.
- Title
- Burlington Streets: Flynn Ave.
- Description
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Photograph dated April 27, 1931 looking westward at the preliminary work of the road widening project on Park Avenue (renamed Flynn Avenue) Photograph taken below Pine Street (note statue of St. Anthony at left)
- Title
- Burlington Streets: Flynn Ave.
- Description
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Photograph dated June 13,1931 of road project on Park Avenue (renamed Flynn Avenue). View is looking eastward. One of the buildings of Vermont Structural Steel Co. can be seen to the right, and the steeple of St. Anthony's Church can be seen in the distance.
- Title
- Burlington Streets: Flynn Ave.
- Description
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Photograph dated April 27, 1931 looking westward on Park Avenue prior to the widening/paving project. In the distance can be seen St. Anthony's Church (left) and Champlain Elementary School (right).
- Title
- Burlington Streets: Flynn Ave.
- Date Created
- 1931-06-13
- Description
-
Photograph dated June 13, 1931 of the road widening project on Park Avenue (renamed Flynn Avenue) looking westward from the railroad crossing.
- Title
- Burlington Streets: Flynn Ave.
- Date Created
- 1931-11-14
- Description
-
Photograph dated Nov.14, 1931 of the railroad crossing on Park Avenue (renamed Flynn Avenue in 1934)
- Title
- Burlington Streets: Grove St.
- Description
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Photograph dated Oct. 19, 1938. View of workmen nearing completion of the Grove Street bridge. Paving has not yet begun on the approach to the bridge or its surface.
- Title
- Burlington Streets: Grove St.
- Description
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Photograph dated Nov. 21, 1940. Original caption reads: WPA (Work Projects Administration) Project No. 665-12-1-38 This view is shows the improvements on Grove Street looking in the opposite direction from the view shown in the previous picture.
- Title
- Burlington Streets: Grove St.
- Description
-
Photograph is dated Aug. 15, 1939. Original caption reads: WPA [Work Projects Administration] Street Paving Project No. 665-12-2-38(Grove Street) This view shows Grove Street pavement project looking northerly from the Grove Street Bridge after the westerly half of the pavement had been completed...
Show morePhotograph is dated Aug. 15, 1939. Original caption reads: WPA [Work Projects Administration] Street Paving Project No. 665-12-2-38(Grove Street) This view shows Grove Street pavement project looking northerly from the Grove Street Bridge after the westerly half of the pavement had been completed. Note the trench at the left where perforated corrugated metal pipe is being installed for underground drainage purposes.
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- Title
- Burlington Streets: Grove St.
- Description
-
Photograph dated Nov. 21, 1940. Original caption reads: WPA (Work Projects Administration) Project No. 665-12-1-38 This view is shows the completed project in the area adjacent to the bridge on Grove Street looking in a northerly direction from a point opposite the entrance to the W.C. Kirby...
Show morePhotograph dated Nov. 21, 1940. Original caption reads: WPA (Work Projects Administration) Project No. 665-12-1-38 This view is shows the completed project in the area adjacent to the bridge on Grove Street looking in a northerly direction from a point opposite the entrance to the W.C. Kirby Garage. Note the easy back slope on the shoulders of the excavated portion of the improvement in the background; also the stone dust surfacing of the sidewalks on both sides of the street as well as the asphalt armor coat surface on the pavement.
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- Title
- Burlington Streets: Grove St.
- Description
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Photograph is dated Aug. 15, 1939. Original caption reads: WPA [Work Projects Administration] Street Paving Project No. 665-12-2-38(Grove Street) This view shows Grove Street pavement project looking southerly from the extreme northerly end of the job showing the partially completed base and base...
Show morePhotograph is dated Aug. 15, 1939. Original caption reads: WPA [Work Projects Administration] Street Paving Project No. 665-12-2-38(Grove Street) This view shows Grove Street pavement project looking southerly from the extreme northerly end of the job showing the partially completed base and base leveling course; also quarry operations where stone rubble is being prepared for the construction of the telford stone base.
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- Title
- Burlington Streets: Grove St.
- Description
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Photograph dated Feb. 3, 1940. Original caption reads: WPA (Work Projects Administration) Project No. 665-12-1-38 This view is shows the completed project in the area adjacent to the bridge on Grove Street looking in a northerly direction from a point opposite the entrance to the W.C. Kirby...
Show morePhotograph dated Feb. 3, 1940. Original caption reads: WPA (Work Projects Administration) Project No. 665-12-1-38 This view is shows the completed project in the area adjacent to the bridge on Grove Street looking in a northerly direction from a point opposite the entrance to the W.C. Kirby Garage. Note the easy back slope on the shoulders of the excavated portion of the improvement in the background; also the stone dust surfacing of the sidewalks on both sides of the street as well as the asphalt armor coat surface on the pavement.
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- Title
- Burlington Streets: Grove St.
- Description
-
Photograph dated Nov. 21, 1940. Original caption reads: WPA (Work Projects Administration) Project No. 665-12-1-38 This view is shows the improvement on Grove Street looking southerly from a point near the end of the curb at the northerly end of the project opposite the W.C. Kirby residence. The...
Show morePhotograph dated Nov. 21, 1940. Original caption reads: WPA (Work Projects Administration) Project No. 665-12-1-38 This view is shows the improvement on Grove Street looking southerly from a point near the end of the curb at the northerly end of the project opposite the W.C. Kirby residence. The old quarry pit has been completely filled in the right foreground from excavation taken from the back slope on the shoulders on the right side of the street after having quarried enough stone rubble from the old pit to construct all of the telford stone base for this project.
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- Title
- Burlington Streets: Grove St.
- Description
-
Photograph dated Oct. 19, 1938. This view shows the construction project (WPA [Work Projects Administration] Grove Street Bridge, Project No. 465-12-1-15) underway in the area adjacent to the bridge on Grove Street looking in a northerly direction from a point opposite the entrance to the W.C....
Show morePhotograph dated Oct. 19, 1938. This view shows the construction project (WPA [Work Projects Administration] Grove Street Bridge, Project No. 465-12-1-15) underway in the area adjacent to the bridge on Grove Street looking in a northerly direction from a point opposite the entrance to the W.C. Kirby Garage.
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- Title
- Burlington Streets: Grove St.
- Description
-
Photograph dated Aug. 15, 1939. Original caption reads: WPA (Work Projects Administration) Grove Street Bridge, Project No. 465-12-1-15 This view shows the completed Grove Street Bridge Project which was completed late in the year 1938. It consists of a heavy corrugated steel plate arch with...
Show morePhotograph dated Aug. 15, 1939. Original caption reads: WPA (Work Projects Administration) Grove Street Bridge, Project No. 465-12-1-15 This view shows the completed Grove Street Bridge Project which was completed late in the year 1938. It consists of a heavy corrugated steel plate arch with reinforced concrete base, sidewalls, and floor slab, using second-hand building brick for the headwalls and spandrel walls with concrete sidewalks, curbs and gutters and penetration asphalt pavement.
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- Title
- Burlington Streets: Grove St.
- Description
-
Photograph dated Nov. 21, 1940. Original caption reads: WPA (Work Projects Administration) Project No. 665-12-1-38 This view is taken from a point exactly on the City limits on Grove Street looking in a north-westerly direction. The pavement area as far as shown in this view is only a temporary...
Show morePhotograph dated Nov. 21, 1940. Original caption reads: WPA (Work Projects Administration) Project No. 665-12-1-38 This view is taken from a point exactly on the City limits on Grove Street looking in a north-westerly direction. The pavement area as far as shown in this view is only a temporary surface. No telford base or penetration surface having been constructed for the last 1,000 feet because the project for the sewer and water mains was not continued to the City limits as originally intended. All grading was done, however, and a corrugated metal culvert with concrete headers and catch basins was constructed in the ravine as shown by the location of white guard posts in the center of this picture.
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- Title
- Burlington Streets: Grove St.(4X)
- Description
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Photograph dated Oct. 24, 1939. Original caption reads: WPA [Work Projects Administration] Street Paving Project No. 665-12-2-38(Grove Street) This view shows a section of Grove Street looking northerly from the break of grade near the Charles Kirby residence. The telford stone base and crushed...
Show morePhotograph dated Oct. 24, 1939. Original caption reads: WPA [Work Projects Administration] Street Paving Project No. 665-12-2-38(Grove Street) This view shows a section of Grove Street looking northerly from the break of grade near the Charles Kirby residence. The telford stone base and crushed stone base leveling course had been completed at this stage of the construction and one-half gallon per square yard of 85-100 penetration asphalt binder had been applied to the base leveling course as a tack coat. The two inch wearing course of crushed stone has just been started in the left of the picture. The stone rubble at the right is for use in continuing the construction of the base. The heavy cut just northerly of the bridge can be seen in the distance as well as the rock quarry at the extreme right where all stone rubble for the telford base is being quarried.
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- Title
- Burlington Streets: Main Street (4X5's)
- Description
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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.
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- Title
- Burlington Streets: Main Street (4X5's)
- Description
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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.
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- Title
- Burlington Streets: Main Street (4X5's)
- Description
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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.
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