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 1 - 10 of 60 Records
War Bond Campaign
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- Date Created: 1944
- Description: 1944 photo of store (very likely Sears on Church St.; note wall advertising) customers and/or employees signing up to buy U.S. war bonds. Large poster of GI throwing a hand grenade says: "[Let 'Em Have It. Buy Extra Bonds." Informal arrangement of "ordinary citizens" in an everyday setting conveys the idea that everyone can contribute to the war effort.
- Parent Collections: Louis L. McAllister Photographs
Stores - Sherwin-Williams Paints (Burlington, VT)
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- Date Created: 1945
- Description: Display of Kem-Tone, "the modern miracle wall finish," with several cans of the product, ad panels, and even a room in a dollhouse. Roman numerals on window are part of clock face that indicates, possibly, the store's lunch hour (see mcalB18F26i06).
- Parent Collections: Louis L. McAllister Photographs
War Bond Campaign
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- Date Created: 1945
- Description: 1945 photo of a store window display with portraits of war leaders, some of whom had appeared on the cover of Time magazine. Most prominent is a photo of FDR, whose portrait is placed between 2 war bonds. Below is a poster showing a battle-hardened GI saying "Next!" with an image of Japan and the Japanese flag at the bottom of the poster. Display was probably made after Victory in Europe Day (8 May 1945), thereby suggesting that Japan will be the site of the next American victory. The usual exhortation to "buy more bonds" is at the very bottom.
- Parent Collections: Louis L. McAllister Photographs
War Bond Campaign
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- Date Created: 1944
- Description: 1944 photo of a window display dedicated to Norway under Nazi occupation ("Bathed in blood"; "ravaged") as a pitch for the 4th War Loan (war bond fundraising campaign). Posters and photos follow a format similar to the one made for Poland (see mcalB21F26i010).
- Parent Collections: Louis L. McAllister Photographs
Store Windows
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- Description: Socony automotive exhibition at the Burlington Memorial Auditorium in Burlington, Vermont showing supplies for the automobiles including lubricating oil. See also mcalA13F06i06
- Parent Collections: Louis L. McAllister Photographs
Stores - Interiors - Unidentified
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- Date Created: 1945
- Description: "Clothing and Cosmetics Store." Ladies apparel, very likely spring and summer fashions. 2 signs advertise Saybury Robes and House Coats.
- Parent Collections: Louis L. McAllister Photographs
Stores - Windows - Unidentified
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- Date Created: 1945
- Description: "July Clearance Sale - Carnival of Bargains" (sign on upper left side of display). Four mannequins displaying children's and women's clothing, along with a stuffed camel for an exotic touch. (Store name and location unknown).
- Parent Collections: Louis L. McAllister Photographs
Stores - Sherwin-Williams Paints (Burlington, VT)
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- Date Created: 1945
- Description: Display of "Kem-Tone, the miracle wall finish" at a Sherwin-Williams paint store in Burlington, Vt. "Here!! Try it yourself and be convinced" is the message behind the pyramid of paint cans.
- Parent Collections: Louis L. McAllister Photographs
Stores - Sherwin-Williams Paints (Burlington, VT)
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- Date Created: 1946-1947
- Description: Advertising for "Pestroy," an insecticide (pest + destroy = Pestroy). Doggerel on tombstone- shaped panels touts the effectiveness of the product.
- Parent Collections: Louis L. McAllister Photographs
Stores - Singer (Burlington, VT)
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- Date Created: 1952
- Description: 1952 photo of 23 Church Street. Singer Sewing Machine Co. retail store, on the west side of Church St. Display window has several mannequins, vacuum cleaners, and an ornate "coat-of-arms" announcing Singer's 100th anniversary. See interior of store mcalB18F27i06
- Parent Collections: Louis L. McAllister Photographs