South Union Street: North from Adams Street
UTM: 180642472E; 4925862N

Louis L. McAllister
1930

Sarah L. Graulty
December 7, 2006

Louis McAllister, charged with making photographic records of public works projects for the city of Burlington, captured this image in 1930 during the removal of the streetcar rails. The Annual Report from that year notes that the street department took up rails and brick liners (visible in the image’s foreground) and laid down a “stone-filled-sheet-asphalt surface”[1] on South Union Street from the Main Street intersection continuing to the south side of Adams Street. This photograph was taken from the end of the project at a point just south of Adams Street looking north. In the distance, we can see a group of workers gathered on the street working on this endeavor. Burlington removed rails like these throughout the city after switching from streetcars to busses. The funds for this removal and resurfacing work on South Union were provided by the Burlington Rapid Transit Company, who paid $1330.00 to the city in 1930.[2]

Several Burlington buildings can be seen in this 1930 Louis McAllister photograph. The most visible is 271-275 South Union, on the northern corner of Adams Street. This Queen Anne style duplex was, according to the South Union Street Historic District National Register nomination, built in 1888 by Z. T. Austin for William G. Shaw, a Burlington businessman and lawyer who also built other houses on South Union Street.[3] W. G. Shaw is listed as owner on a 1890 map by C. M. Hopkins, but never lived there because it was a rental property from the beginning. In 1930, the time of this photograph, the Burlington directory lists Nelson H. Riley, retired, at #271 and does not list a tenant for #275.

257 South Union Street, whose front portion and vine-covered porch are visible just behind #271-271, is also said to have been built by Z. T. Austin for William G. Shaw, this time in 1887. Several of the architectural details on this house match drawings from Bicknell and Comstock’s 1881 pattern book. Colonel George Jean Holden, a professor at the University of Vermont, lived in this house in 1930.[4]

The next house on the left, 253 South Union Street, is more clearly visible in another McAllister photograph, seen here.

On the right, we can see portions of other important houses on South Union Street. The square porch posts on the photograph’s far right belongs to the James B. Henderson house at 260 South Union Street. Local historian David Blow cites a Burlington Free Press notice from October 15, 1894 that states “Alderman J. B. Henderson is erecting a house on South Union Street”.[5] The National Register nomination notes that it was built by architect/builders C. W. and A. B. Fisher, a noted Burlington firm and that later remodeling was done in consultation with local architect Louis Newton.[6] Henderson lived in the house until his death on July 5, 1916. In the mid-1920s, the building was converted into apartments and in 1930, the Burlington directory lists Charles H. Mills and Lewis G. Irwin at this address.

[1] Burlington City Annual Report, 1930, p. 224.
[2] Burlington City Annual Report, 1930, p. 207.
[3] David Blow, Historic Guide to Burlington Neighborhoods, Volume III (Burlington, VT: Chittenden County Historical Society, 2003), 106.
[4] Burlington City Directory, 1930 (Burlington: H. A. Manning Co., 1916-1986)
[5] David Blow, Historic Guide to Burlington Neighborhoods, Volume III (Burlington, VT: Chittenden County Historical Society, 2003), 105.
[6] National Register of Historic Places, South Union Street Historic District Historic District National Register nomination.