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
Show less
Related Archival Collection
- Title
- Burlington Streets: Main Street (4X5's)
- Description
-
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.
Show less
- Title
- Burlington Streets: Winooski Ave.
- Description
-
December 7, 1938 View of South Winooski Ave. looking north as Burlington Street Dept. crew do road work. Rollers are smoothing down the surface as men stand by with shovels. To the right is a sign reading Ben's Dinette located between Main and King Street. To the left up the street is the back of...
Show moreDecember 7, 1938 View of South Winooski Ave. looking north as Burlington Street Dept. crew do road work. Rollers are smoothing down the surface as men stand by with shovels. To the right is a sign reading Ben's Dinette located between Main and King Street. To the left up the street is the back of the Strong Theater.
Show less
- Title
- Burlington Streets: Winooski Ave.
- Description
-
August 15, 1939. So. Winooski Ave. looking south from intersection of Main Street after Plant-Mix asphalt pavement with an average of one and one-half inches of hot asphalt binder course or leveling course and two inch wearing surface of American Bitumuls laykold mixture had been placed and the...
Show moreAugust 15, 1939. So. Winooski Ave. looking south from intersection of Main Street after Plant-Mix asphalt pavement with an average of one and one-half inches of hot asphalt binder course or leveling course and two inch wearing surface of American Bitumuls laykold mixture had been placed and the street opened to traffic. Sign to the left near a two story billboard structure states P.W.A. Federal Works Agency Public Works Administration Street Improvements. Billboards advertise Ritz Crackers and Chesterfield Cigarettes. Strong building on the corner to the right.
Show less
- Title
- Burlington Streets: Winooski Ave.
- Description
-
Undated but may be 1939 view of So. Winooski Ave. looking south at the intersection of Main Street. To the left men work on street construction project near the corner Herbert Auto Service at 204-206 So. Winooski selling Gulf. To the right is the Strong Theater building and Strong Hardware at 205...
Show moreUndated but may be 1939 view of So. Winooski Ave. looking south at the intersection of Main Street. To the left men work on street construction project near the corner Herbert Auto Service at 204-206 So. Winooski selling Gulf. To the right is the Strong Theater building and Strong Hardware at 205-207 So. Winooski. A two story tall billboard structure is seen to the west side of the auto service store.
Show less
- Title
- Burlington Streets: Winooski Ave.
- Description
-
December 7, 1938 View of South Winooski Ave. looking to Main Street as Burlington Street Dept. crew do road work. Rollers are smoothing down the surface as men stand by with shovels. To the right is a sign reading Ben's Dinette located between Main and King Street at 164 So Winooski. To the left...
Show moreDecember 7, 1938 View of South Winooski Ave. looking to Main Street as Burlington Street Dept. crew do road work. Rollers are smoothing down the surface as men stand by with shovels. To the right is a sign reading Ben's Dinette located between Main and King Street at 164 So Winooski. To the left up the street is the back of the Strong Theater. Also to the left is the small white building of William R. Daley's lunch cart at No. 175.
Show less