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
- Title
- Automobiles
- Description
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Photo of a car parked in McAllister's driveway at his home located at 47 No. Winooski Ave, Burlington. Seen on the porch is a portion of his sign "McAllister" 1944/47?
- Title
- Automobiles - Sales and Service (Q-Z)
- Description
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1951 Yandow Motor Company. So. Winooski Ave., Burlington, Vt View of the parking lot of used cars for sale. Car dealership. Spring.
- Title
- Burlington Asphalt Plant
- Description
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Burlington Asphalt Plant automobile, trucks, and drivers
- Title
- Burlington City Hall
- Description
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June 1, 1927. Construction of Burlington City Hall showing scaffolding for cupola and partial view of the fire station. James E. Cashman, General contractor.
- Title
- Burlington City Hall
- Description
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Scaffolding surrounds the cupola of Burlington City Hall in this dated September 2, 1927 photo. Three different types of automobiles (truck, car, longer car) are parked in front. Sawhorses and other construction materials seen to the left.
- Title
- Burlington Federal Savings
- Description
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The Burlington Federal Savings building under construction. 1958.
- Title
- Business Enterprises - A-B
- Description
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1935/1936 photo of Burlington Electric Motor Service.
- Title
- Business Enterprises - A-B
- Description
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Burlington Electric Motor Service Inc. with employees. Undated but may be 1935 / 1936.
- Title
- Business Enterprises - A-B
- Description
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1935-1936 Burlington Electric Motor Service.
- Title
- Business Enterprises - E-H
- Description
-
Elias Lyman Coal Company Undated.
- Title
- Farms
- Description
-
Autumn scene of a farmhouse with small attached barn next to a paved road. An automobile is parked in the front yard just off the road. Trees are bare of leaves. There are mountains in the background.
- Title
- Houses - Unidentified
- Description
-
A woman and a dog look out the window of a two door automobile (1930s?) It is parked on a grassy area with large well built upscale homes or buildings behind it. The buildings have long wide open porches and elaborate railings.
- Title
- Strong Theatre (Burlington, VT)
- Date Created
- 1946-1947
- Description
-
1946 photo of the Strong Building, home of Strong Hardware Co. and the Strong Theatre, as well as a drugstore and ice cream shop. Date on the building is 1902. The marquee reads: Abbott and Costello: "The Naughty Nineties," with Alan Curtis. (The movie came out in 1945.) The building was...
Show more1946 photo of the Strong Building, home of Strong Hardware Co. and the Strong Theatre, as well as a drugstore and ice cream shop. Date on the building is 1902. The marquee reads: Abbott and Costello: "The Naughty Nineties," with Alan Curtis. (The movie came out in 1945.) The building was destroyed by arson in 1970, and rubble at the site was used to help build the Burlington bike path.
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- Title
- Strong Theatre (Burlington, VT)
- Date Created
- 1946-1947
- Description
-
1946 photo of the Strong Building, home of Strong Hardware Co. and the Strong Theatre, as well as a drugstore and ice cream shop. Date on the building is 1902. The marquee reads: Abbott and Costello: "The Naughty Nineties," with Alan Curtis. (The movie came out in 1945.) The building was...
Show more1946 photo of the Strong Building, home of Strong Hardware Co. and the Strong Theatre, as well as a drugstore and ice cream shop. Date on the building is 1902. The marquee reads: Abbott and Costello: "The Naughty Nineties," with Alan Curtis. (The movie came out in 1945.) The building was destroyed by arson in 1970, and rubble at the site was used to help build the Burlington bike path.
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- Title
- Strong Theatre (Burlington, VT)
- Date Created
- 1946-1947
- Description
-
1946 photo of the Strong Building, home of Strong Hardware Co. and the Strong Theatre, as well as Brown's Pharmacy and ice cream shop. Date on the building is 1902. The marquee reads: Abbott and Costello: "The Naughty Nineties," with Alan Curtis. (The movie came out in 1945.) The building was...
Show more1946 photo of the Strong Building, home of Strong Hardware Co. and the Strong Theatre, as well as Brown's Pharmacy and ice cream shop. Date on the building is 1902. The marquee reads: Abbott and Costello: "The Naughty Nineties," with Alan Curtis. (The movie came out in 1945.) The building was destroyed by arson in 1970, and rubble at the site was used to help build the Burlington bike path.
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- Title
- Vermont Structural Steel Co. - Construction Sites
- Description
-
1951 photo of a construction site, where the steel frame of the building is complete or near completion. Site is unknown but probably downtown Burlington. Several (now vintage) automobiles parked nearby.