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
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Adult church choir at First Congregational Church in balcony. See mcalA09F11i03 for balcony. Photo #4?
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A group of men and women in formal dress gather in a high ceiling wood floor room for a portrait. Most have their eyes closed. Smoke from the flash of the photographer's camera can be seen in the upper right corner of the photo. Undated but may be 1920s.
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This rustic wooden paneled room in a restaurant is where a group of men and women gather for a group portrait. Burlington residents, Bob and Bea Earnshaw in second row far left side. Undated but may be 1950s. See also mcalA15F05i11 and i13
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A large group of men gather around a leaf expanded wooden table. A large rake of antlers hang on the back wall. The room has a patterned floor covering and a wallpapered or stenciled decoration along the wall near the ceiling. A heavy curtain hangs to the right of the photo. Early part of the...
Show moreA large group of men gather around a leaf expanded wooden table. A large rake of antlers hang on the back wall. The room has a patterned floor covering and a wallpapered or stenciled decoration along the wall near the ceiling. A heavy curtain hangs to the right of the photo. Early part of the 20th century?
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Six men stop their work and stand next to two butchered cows (steers?) in a meat processing plant. Undated.
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Four women and one man in choir robes holding music for Handel's Messiah. Photo #6.
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Fourteen men gather near an outdoor camp fire on a rock slope. Two large boulders can be seen. A large rocky ledge is in the background.See also mcalA15F09i27.
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- Portraits, groups, unidentified
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A large group of men are gathered in a room with a lot of lattice work along the walls and ceiling. The letters VH are prominently displayed overhead. All the men wear business suits, some are three piece suits and all wear large tags with their names written on the lower half.
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1959. A large group of men and women gather inside a wood paneled room (stage behind) for a group photo. Burlington residents, Bob and Bea Earnshaw are seated in the front row far right. Photo #3. See also mcalA15F04i07
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An outdoor family photo of an older couple with their grown children. The women wear single flower corsages. See also mcalA15F03i13, i14 and i15
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A large group of men and women assemble for a photo portrait. Some of the men wear large round badges on their suit jackets. See also mcalA15F04i04
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A large group of costumed men and women gather for a group photo in a large gymnasium type room. A basketball hoop is seen in the back overhanging the double doors. A spiral staircase is seen to the far right in the back. A small group of musicians are gathered in the back to the left. Banners...
Show moreA large group of costumed men and women gather for a group photo in a large gymnasium type room. A basketball hoop is seen in the back overhanging the double doors. A spiral staircase is seen to the far right in the back. A small group of musicians are gathered in the back to the left. Banners hang on poles.
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A building's corner stone dated 1950 is being laid. Two men pose next to the stone; one holds a trowel.
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A group of men are gathered around dining tables in a room.
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A group of women (and two men) pose with a large banner reading "We're the "top" in Supt. Sinnamon's territory." They are gathered outside on what looks like a commercial building's flat roof top. See also mcalA15F05i01. Photo #1.
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A group of men and women gather on in a rustic wood paneled room (perhaps a restaurant). Candles and a table centerpiece decorate the head table.
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- Portraits, groups, unidentified
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Five men stand outside near some tracks and a stone wall. Behind them is a large rocky ledge with trees and other vegetation. The man in the center is in uniform and carries a whistle in his hand.
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- Portraits, groups, unidentified
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This rustic wooden paneled room (perhaps a restaurant) is where a group of men and women gather for a group portrait. A moose head hangs high on the back wall. Burlington residents, Bob and Bea Earnshaw in second row far left side. Undated but may be 1950s.
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A clergyman stands center surrounded by several older women dressed in evening gowns adorned with corsages. They all gather around a table covered with an elegant crocheted table cloth and set with what appears to be a silver tea / coffee service. A stage is seen behind.
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- Portraits, groups, unidentified
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A large group of men and women dressed in costume pose for a photo in what looks like a large gymnasium. Folding chairs line the sides of the room and a raised stage in seen in the background. Paper streamers decorate the ceiling.