The Golden Age of Baton & Drum Corps
“We weren’t just a baton and drum corp. We we’re a wonderful family with wonderful leaders!”(Kathy Barnhart Smith, Vi Lar Baton Corps)
The Liberty Belle Majorettes and Drum Corps of Howard County
For more than two decades, the Liberty Belles Majorette and Drum Corps of Howard County, Maryland, introduced hundreds of young people to baton twirling, marching, music and performance. The organization became a familiar sight at parades, community celebrations and...
100th Anniversary of the Central High School Kiltie Drum & Bugle Corps (Springfield, Missouri)
1960 Central High School Kiltie Drum & Bugle Corps Kilties Majorettes (Historical Record) A defining part of the Kilties’ visual identity has been its majorettes, whose presence spans generations of Central High School performers. Alumni records document a...
The Phillyettes, Fire Batons and Flaming Double Dutch
Over the past four years of publishing The Vintage Twirler, I have come across baton twirlers performing in just about every imaginable setting. I have shared images of twirlers on ice skates, on horseback, and even mid-tap dance routine. But until today, I had never...
The Scarlet Strutters: Small-Town Twirlers, Big-Time Tradition
In a corner of Northwest Ohio, something enduring has been spinning through parades, competitions, and generations for more than half a century. They’re called the Scarlet Strutters Baton Corps of Defiance, Ohio, and if you’ve ever seen them perform, you understand...
Fraternal Order of Eagles
During the 1930s, Cumberland was a thriving railroad and industrial city. Civic bands, military-style drum and bugle corps, fraternal organizations, and youth marching groups were common features of parades, political rallies, holiday celebrations, and community...
Miller’s Blackhawks Musical Corps and Baton Twirling
Senior Corps | 1976 For generations of baton twirlers, few names carried more prestige than Miller’s Blackhawks Musical Corps. Long before modern color guard and contemporary marching arts became nationally recognized performance activities, the Blackhawks were...
Katherine Stump Werntz Kridler (1925-2013)
Katherine Stump Werntz Kridler (1925-2013) and her identical twin sister, Betty, twirled for College High School, Warrensburg, Missouri. They were also majorettes with the Central Missouri State University Drum and Bugle Corps.
Whirlwinds of Walla Walla, Washington (1960s)
Vibrant photos of The Whirlwinds of Walla Walla are featured on Bygone Walla Walla's website. The organization is a local non-profit with a mission to build and share the visual history of Walla Walla, Washington. Retired librarian Joe Drazan heads the project, which...
Petersburg High School Drum Corps, 1934 (Indiana)
The Petersburg High School Drum Corps, Petersburg, Pike County, Indiana, 1934. From left to right: Pearl Owings, Majorette; Name Unknown; Claribell Klipsch; Name Unknown; Name Unknown; Lucille Hendrix; Name Unknown; Virginia Hendrix; Name Unknown; Name Unknown; Name...
The Civic Backbone of Baton Twirling
Miller's Blackhawks, 1973The Civic Organizations That Helped Build Baton Twirling The connection between baton twirling and America’s civic organizations is one of the least discussed parts of twirling history, yet it may have been one of the most important. For much...
Master Directory of Baton Corps and Majorette Units in the United States (Working Draft)
Creating a truly exhaustive list of baton corps, majorette lines, drum and baton corps, and civic-sponsored twirling units in the United States is extremely difficult because no single national archive exists. Thousands of groups operated locally between the 1930s and 1980s, many connected to civic organizations, veterans halls, schools, parks departments, churches, police athletic leagues, and parade circuits.
Some existed for decades. Others lasted only a few seasons. Many were documented only in local newspapers, parade programs, civic club newsletters, family scrapbooks, and regional contest programs.
This document is intended as a living historical directory and research foundation for preserving the history of American baton corps culture. Please help us complete the directory by sending us any information or photos you have. Add your baton corps or majorette unit to the list!
Types of Baton Corps and Majorette Units
CIVIC SPONSORED CORPS
Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW)
VFW Auxiliary
American Legion Posts
Elks Lodges
Lions Clubs
Kiwanis Clubs
Moose Lodges
Optimist Clubs
Jaycees
Parks and recreation departments
INDEPENDENT BATON CORPS
Privately organized parade and competition groups.
DRUM and BATON CORPS
Units combining baton twirlers with percussion sections.
MAJORETTE CORPS
Parade-focused marching units often tied to schools or civic festivals.
FIREMEN’S and POLICE CORPS
Community parade units connected to fire departments or police organizations.
SCHOOL-CONNECTED CORPS
Community corps operating independently but closely tied to local school bands.
At one time there were 3,000+ baton corps in the United States and Canada.
Help us create an exhaustive list. Email us at info [at] vintage.baton.twirler [dot] org.
American CTTCS — Fairfax, VA
Ambassadors — Toledo, OH
Annette’s — Findlay
Apple Core — Illinois
AuBuchon Baton Corps — St. Louis, MO
Basilians — Milwaukee, WI
Bel Air Lads ‘n’ Lasses
Betty’s Rebels — Milwaukee, WI
Blue & Gold Twirlettes — American Legion Post 60, Laurel, MD
Bossier Flashettes
Bramalea Lionaires — Bramalea, Ontario
Buffalo Barons — Des Plaines, IL
Buffalo Grove Barons
Candettes — Milwaukee, WI
Captivators
Cavaliers — Canton, OH
Centurions
Claudette’s Cadets — Knoxville, TN
Claudette’s Majorettes — Knoxville, TN
Columbus Hurricanes — Columbus, OH
Daley Debutantes — Wisconsin
Davis Strutters — Richmond, IN
Debonaires Drum & Baton Corps — Palatine, IL
DeAngelo’s Diablos — New Jersey
Desperado Debs Baton & Drum Corps
Fidlerettes
Flashettes — Hollywood, FL
Gail-ettes — Canada
Golden Arrows Jr. Corps — Tulsa, OK
Golden Arrows Sr. Corps — Tulsa, OK
Golden Triangle (Larry Cervi)
Green Berets — Glen Burnie, MD
Havre de Grace Hi-Steppers
Huntington Thunderers
Jazz Dolls
Jorgensen Rangerettes — Chicago, IL
Land O’Lakes Majorettes — Pontiac, MI
Liberty Belles — Ellicott City, MD
Liberty Belles Baton & Drum Corps — Plainwell, MI
Lin Lovetts — Whittier, CA
Los Angeles Sheriff’s Majorettes — Montclair, CA
Madge’s Gateway Boosterettes — Portland, OR
Marilynettes Marching Corps — Ohio
Marlyn’s Majorettes — Illinois
Master List of Baton Corps
Militaires Majorette Corps — Norridge, IL
Modernettes — Pennsylvania
Modernettes Show Corps
Montage — Canada
Mt. Airy Sparklers — Maryland
Mt. Washington Mounties — Pittsburgh, PA
Mustangs
Norrisville Star Spangled Swingers
Pacemakers — Portland, OR
Patriots — Fairmont, MN
Petite Debonaires Drum & Baton Corps — Palatine, IL
Piasa Indian Jr. Baton Drill Team — Alton, IL
Piasa Indian Sr. Baton Drill Team — Alton, IL
Sailorettes — Baltimore, MD
Savage Kaydettes
Scarborough Spirit Military Corps
Sharon Deb-U-Lettes — Sharon, PA
Shea’s Baton & Drum Corps — Illinois
Shea’s Strutters — Waukegan, IL
Shirley’s “T” Birds — Middletown, OH
Silver Knights — Villa Park, IL
Sparkies — West Lawn, PA
St. Louis Twirling Teens — St. Louis, MO
Sue’s Stepperettes — Omaha, NE
Sugarettes
Teasers & Firecats — Illinois
Toppers — Baltimore, MD
Trevose Heights Majorettes — Trevose Heights, PA
Twirling Stars — Lambertville, MI
Vernell Drum & Twirling Corps — Glenview, IL
Velvet Vikings — Wheaton, IL
Vi-Lar Kadettes — East Liverpool, OH
Wyatt Warriors — Coral Gables, FL
Baton corps once formed a major part of American civic and parade culture. Though many have disappeared, their influence survives through coaches, teachers, parade traditions, college twirlers, and the generations of performers they trained. Preserving their history is essential to understanding the broader story of baton twirling in the United States.
The Whirlwinds of Walla Walla, Washington, 1962
Vintage Ephemera
Baton twirling ephemera refers to things like programs, posters, patches, stickers, magazines, newsletters, and other things typically written or printed that were used for a specific period of time.
A rare find: Bicentennial majorette medal.
Majorette Memories
We welcome high-quality scans of your vintage baton twirling ephemera. You can also receive items through the mail. We’ll digitally preserve your memories in high-quality scans. Thank you so much for supporting this project.
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Rare Merchandise
Once or twice a year we will offer a commemorative item or rare keepsake for sale such as a sticker, patch, pin or T-shirt, etc. All proceeds will help offset the cost of this project, which includes the cost to acquire rare and/or copyrighted materials.
We will typically offer merchandise on World Baton Twirling Day, April 10, which is also the the official launch day for The Vintage Twirler. Please sign up for updates below so you don’t miss our annoucement. Thank you so much for your interest in this project.