Marguerite Belanger photograph album

Collection — Box: SC

Identifier: S3741

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The collection consists of seven photographs of Marguerite Belanger, her husband, and the all-women bands she led. A biographical sketch by her son Adrian Belanger accompanies the photographs.

Dates

1918-1946
Majority of material found in 1918-1926

Creator

Belanger, Marguerite, 1895-1970 (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

Open for use in the Kathryn A. Martin Library, Archives and Special Collections.

Conditions Governing Use

This collection may be protected by the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, U.S. Code). It is the user's responsibility to verify copyright ownership and to obtain all necessary permissions prior to the reproduction, publication, or other use of any portion of these materials. Researchers may quote from the collection under the fair use provision of the copyright law.

Biographical / Historical

Marguerite Marie Theriault was born September 5, 1895 of Phillip and Cecile Theriault in Bath, Maine. Trained at a young age in piano, Miss Theriault began accompanying silent movies and theater performances in theaters on the east coast until the family relocated to New Brunswick, Canada. This move concluded her work as a theater musician but resulted in her locating to Duluth about 1910, with husband Joseph Belanger, also a musician. Between them, many instruments were mastered and both played the saxophone; an instrument gaining interest around WWI. Mrs. Belanger’s novelty as a “lady saxophone player” brought her hotel engagements and renown in the region. She was the leader of two all-women bands the Duluth Harmony Girls and the Collegiate Belles. In the mid-twenties, and eight state tour arranged through Chicago agent resulted in the broadest exposure of Belanger’s stage engagements which included billing with Abbott and Costello. In 1946, Belanger made her final guest appearance at a private party in Hotel Duluth with the C-Melody Saxophone.

Extent

1.00 Linear Inches

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

The collection consists of seven photographs of Marguerite Belanger, her husband, and the all-women bands she led. A biographical sketch by her son Adrian Belanger accompanies the photographs.

Physical Location

This collection is located at the University of Minnesota Duluth Archives. For more information about this collection or to make an appointment, contact us at libarchives@d.umn.edu or 218-726-8526.

General

This collection is part of the Northeast Minnesota Historical Collections, which are housed in the University of Minnesota Duluth Archives at the Kathryn A. Martin Library.