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, families, unidentified
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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
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A group of men and women seated and standing are assembled outside a large brick building. See also mcalA15F02i26
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- Portraits, families, unidentified
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A seated man and woman (husband and wife) and a boy (their son). Floral draperies seen behind.
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- Portraits, families, unidentified
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A summertime portrait photo of a man and woman standing outside their home among flowering shrubs and window boxes.
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- Portraits, families, unidentified
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A multi generation family gather around the sofa in a well furnished home for a portrait. See the same family also in mcalA15F03i03
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- Portraits, families, unidentified
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A man and woman sit together for a portrait in what may be their home's living room. She sits in an upholstered chair. He sits on the arm of the chair. A television set is seen behind. See also the same setting with a younger couple and child.
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- Portraits, families, unidentified
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An outdoor group portrait of an unidentified man and woman with eight children as they stand in a field. See same family group in mcalA09F12i34 and mcalA15F02i31, i32, i33, i35
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- Portraits, families, unidentified
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A man, woman and four teen and school age children stand near a table laid out with china dinnerware. The boys wear suit jackets as does the man. The woman and young lady are nicely attired in dresses.
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- Portraits, families, unidentified
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A 50th wedding anniversary photo of a man and woman with a table behind and tiered cake decorated with the number 50 and a decoration on the top. Behind the couple appears to be a theatrical stage curtain with a street scene upon it. An American flag is to the far left.
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- Portraits, families, unidentified
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A multi generation family group with mother holding infant twins. See same family members in mcalA15F02i18 and i26
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- Portraits, families, unidentified
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A multi generation family gather around the sofa in a well furnished home for a portrait. See the same family also in mcalA15F03i04
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- Portraits, families, unidentified
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An outdoor group portrait of an unidentified man and woman with eight children as they stand in front of a wood frame clapboard house. Three children kneel on a toboggan. Same family group also seen in mcalA09F12i34, mcalA15F02i30, i31
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- Portraits, families, unidentified
- Description
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An outdoor group portrait of an unidentified man and woman with eight children as they stand in front of a wood frame clapboard house. Three children kneel on a toboggan. Same family group also seen in mcalA09F12i34, mcalA15F02i30, i31, i32, i34, i35
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- Portraits, families, unidentified
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A man and woman pose for their portrait. She sits in an elaborate high back wooden throne like chair with arms. He stands beside her in formal suit wearing a cloth cap. A large basket of flowers seen to the right.
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- Portraits, families, unidentified
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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 multi generation family photo taken outside a brick building. A mother and her two daughters wear matching dresses. Two other mothers hold their infants in their laps while the fathers stand behind. Grandparents are seated in front with one young girl. See also mcalB15F08i06 for the same family...
Show moreA multi generation family photo taken outside a brick building. A mother and her two daughters wear matching dresses. Two other mothers hold their infants in their laps while the fathers stand behind. Grandparents are seated in front with one young girl. See also mcalB15F08i06 for the same family. 1957 or 1958.
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- Portraits, families, unidentified
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A family portrait of an unidentified man and woman of the Salvation Army and five children. See also mcalA15F02i05 and i07, and mcalA16F01i32
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- Portraits, families, unidentified
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A large group of family members gathered for a multi-generation photo outside a large brick building with fluted columns on the porch. The elderly man wearing the hat and woman to the right of him also seen in mcalA15F01i05. See also mcalA15F01i13 for a smaller group photo of some of the women...
Show moreA large group of family members gathered for a multi-generation photo outside a large brick building with fluted columns on the porch. The elderly man wearing the hat and woman to the right of him also seen in mcalA15F01i05. See also mcalA15F01i13 for a smaller group photo of some of the women and the infant child.
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- Portraits, families, unidentified
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What appears to be a wedding anniversary party with the guests of honor standing in the center surrounded by other family members and guests. Also present is a nun in traditional habit. See also mcalA15F02i21
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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