Louis L. McAllister Photographs

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). 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

Showing 221 - 230 of 458 Records

Mater Christi School (?) - First Communion (taken at Mt. St. Mary's)
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    • Date Created: 1957
    • Description: 1957 photo of children at their First Communion taken at Mt. St. Mary's Academy in Burlington (which is next door to Mater Christi School)
    • Parent Collections: Louis L. McAllister Photographs


    May Crowning
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      • Date Created: 1945
      • Description: 1945 group portrait of participants in the Roman Catholic observance of May Crowning. Photo #4.
      • Parent Collections: Louis L. McAllister Photographs


      Veterans of Foreign Wars
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        • Date Created: 1952
        • Description: 1952 photo of the crowd at Memorial Auditorium for a VFW Christmas bazaar (note decorated tree and Santa Claus).
        • Parent Collections: Louis L. McAllister Photographs


        Veterans of Foreign Wars
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          • Date Created: 1945
          • Description: 1945 photo of several men--local dignitaries, servicemen, clergy, and veterans--gathered in downtown Burlington, Vt. (First Baptist Church and auto dealer Charles P. Smith Jr. are in background), very likely for the Armistice (now Veterans) Day parade, the first after the end of World War II. A few women and children can be seen in the background. On the far left, in light fedora and overcoat, is Arthur W. Dow, state editor of the Burlington Free Press, a determined impresario of the performing arts who brought legendary musicians to Burlington, and editor of a column "Vermonters Serving under the U.S. Flag." Tragically, Dow suffered a heart attack and died just two weeks after this photo was taken.
          • Parent Collections: Louis L. McAllister Photographs


          Veterans of Foreign Wars
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            • Date Created: 1959
            • Description: 1959 photo of a ceremony at Battery Park, very likely at the veterans memorial dedicated to Howard W. Plant. An officer, perhaps a veteran, is reading a passage from a booklet. A number of onlookers from the neighborhood, plus other veterans, have gathered for the occasion.
            • Parent Collections: Louis L. McAllister Photographs


            Portraits, families, unidentified
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              • Description: A multi generation family assemble outside near the front porch for a group photo. A mother holds an infant. An American flag hangs from the porch.
              • Parent Collections: Louis L. McAllister Photographs


              Portraits, children, unidentified
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                • Description: A group of young children (perhaps kindergarten age) are seen in their day care center (may be a church or nursery setting). They gather around tables, chairs, doll carriage and sand box. Two older women stand in back along with an older girl. See also mcalA14F16i32
                • Parent Collections: Louis L. McAllister Photographs


                Portraits, children, unidentified
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                  • Description: A group of young children in Sunday School class at the Pilgrim House on Orchard Terrace. Building owned by the First Congregational Church in Burlington. Three women attending. A child's slide and sand box are seen. See also mcalA14F16i23
                  • Parent Collections: Louis L. McAllister Photographs


                  Portraits, children, unidentified
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                    • Description: Undated portrait photo of women and children being part of May Crowning, a traditional Roman Catholic ritual that occurs in the month of May whereby an image or likeness of the Blessed Virgin is ceremonially crowned recognizing her as Queen of Heaven and the Mother of God. Women hold lilies and gladiolas, children hold bouquets of daisies. Some are dressed in robes with flower garlands in their hair.
                    • Parent Collections: Louis L. McAllister Photographs


                    Portraits, families, unidentified
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                      • Description: 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, i33, i35
                      • Parent Collections: Louis L. McAllister Photographs