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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- Portraits, children, unidentified
- Description
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A young girl dressed for her first communion seen here in what may be a private home's living room.
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- Portraits, children, unidentified
- Description
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A slightly out of focus photo of two young children seated upon an upholstered stool each dressed in a German / Austrian / Tyrolian type outfit without the hat on the boy. Photo #3. A golden retriever dog lays in front. A fireplace is seen behind. See also mcalA14F16i06 and mcalA14F16i08
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- Portraits, families, unidentified
- Description
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A man and woman gather near a Christmas tree in their home with a young boy and girl. Christmas gifts are displayed beneath the tree. They include a chemistry outfit and a model train set. The girl holds a doll. See also mcalA15F03i01 for an earlier Christmas photo.
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- Portraits, families, unidentified
- Date Created
- undated
- Description
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A multi generation family photo. Date and location unknown but may be taken in early 20th century.
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- Portraits, families, unidentified
- Description
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Five young children stand outside of what may be their wooden clapboard sided home on a winter's day with an older man standing behind them. A hatch way door is open behind the children.
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- Portraits, families, unidentified
- Description
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A father holds his young son as he sits next to his wife in a living room. See mcalA15F01i11 for the same setting but with an older couple.
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- Portraits, families, unidentified
- Description
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Members of McAllister's family sit on a sofa. The older woman to the left is Mrs. Raymond, the mother of the young lady in the Scottish tarten. The younger is McAllister's grand niece, Joanne Raymond. The young woman on the right is unidentified. A collie dog rests at their feet.
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- Portraits, families, unidentified
- Description
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A man, his wife and two children stand outside their house. The same man appears in mcalA09F12i44 holding a carved wooden chain. He is missing his left hand. See also mcalA15F02i12
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- Portraits, families, unidentified
- Description
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A man, his wife and two children stand outside their house. The same man appears in mcalA09F12i44 holding a carved wooden chain. He is missing his left hand. See also mcalB15F10i09
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- Portraits, families, unidentified
- Description
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An older man and woman pose for a portrait photo outside 270 Pearl Street in Burlington, Vermont that has an enclosed porch. She sits in a wooden chair with armrests. He stands beside and slightly behind wearing a three piece suit and tie and may be longtime Burlington resident, Frederick A....
Show moreAn older man and woman pose for a portrait photo outside 270 Pearl Street in Burlington, Vermont that has an enclosed porch. She sits in a wooden chair with armrests. He stands beside and slightly behind wearing a three piece suit and tie and may be longtime Burlington resident, Frederick A. Deyette. He is listed in the Burlington City Directory as residing at No. 270 from 1908 to 1946 or 1947. A wooden sign reading "Tourists" is seen at the corner of the building. See also mcalA15F02i20
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- Portraits, families, unidentified
- Description
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An outdoor summer family group portrait taken in front of a clapboard house. Number 54 seen on the porch post. Three of the men wear knickers.
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- Portraits, families, unidentified
- Description
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A Christmas family portrait with mother, father and four children. Gifts seen beneath the tree and behind. The oldest girl proudly holds up her hard plastic bride doll in wedding gown and veil.
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- Portraits, families, unidentified
- Description
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An older man and woman pose along with two other women and a man for a portrait photo outside 270 Pearl Street in Burlington, Vermont that has an enclosed porch. The man to the far right who wears a three piece suit and tie may be long time Burlington resident, Frederick A. Deyette. He is listed...
Show moreAn older man and woman pose along with two other women and a man for a portrait photo outside 270 Pearl Street in Burlington, Vermont that has an enclosed porch. The man to the far right who wears a three piece suit and tie may be long time Burlington resident, Frederick A. Deyette. He is listed in the Burlington City Directory as residing at No. 270 from 1908 to 1946 or 1947. A wooden sign reading "Tourists" is seen at the corner of the building. See also mcalA15F01i07, mcalA15F02i23
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- Title
- Portraits, families, unidentified
- Description
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An older man and woman along with a younger woman who sits in a chair pose for a portrait photo outside 270 Pearl Street in Burlington, Vermont that has an enclosed porch. Behind the man is a wooden sign reading "Tourists" at the corner of the building. See also mcalA15F01i07, mcalA15F02i20
- Title
- Portraits, families, unidentified
- Description
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A multi generation family portrait. The man and woman seated in the back may be the parents of the young boy and infant twins. The two older women may be grandmothers. They all sit in a living room setting with upholstered furniture. See same family in mcalA15F02i19
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- Portraits, groups, unidentified
- Description
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1959 photo of three ladies wrapping Christmas gifts including Sundial shoes, a baby doll's bassinet and winter coats for children. They sit in a wood paneled room in front of a brick fireplace. Photo #1. See also mcalB15F09i01 for a different exposure of the same women.
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- Portraits, individuals, unidentified
- Description
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A mature woman poses outside by the corner of a building; perhaps her home. She wears an evening dress. See also mcalA16F01i05, i06 and i07
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- Portraits, individuals, unidentified
- Description
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A mature woman wears a long dress and sits in a wooden chair in the corner of a living room in front of a curtained window with potted plants; perhaps her home. A fireplace is seen to the left. See the same woman in a different dress also in mcalA16F01i05, i06, i08
- Title
- Portraits, individuals, unidentified
- Description
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A mature woman wears a long dress and stands in the corner of a living room in front of a curtained window; perhaps her home. See the same woman in a different dress also in mcalA16F01i05, i06, i08
- Title
- Portraits, individuals, unidentified
- Description
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A mature woman wears a long dress and sits in an upholstered chair in the corner of a living room in front of a curtained window with potted plants; perhaps her home. A fireplace is seen to the left. See the same woman also in mcalA16F01i05, i07, i08