Sunsetters drum corps Astoria Oregon

Astoria Drum Corps History

The first drum corps we are going to cover was formed in 1889 and was called the “Astoria Drum Corps”. They did the typical drum corps things of the day and disappeared by 1891. A marching member named Fred Brown was 17 at the time. Remember Fred.

In 1911 the Astoria Centennial (Boy) Scouts D&BC was formed with the aforementioned Fred Brown, now 38, as their Founder and Drill Master. As you have guessed, this corps was formed to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Astoria’s founding in 1811. Astoria is the oldest city in Oregon. The Scouts promoted Astoria all over Oregon by marching in parades and playing at special events. The corps ran through 1924.

1926 found the Astoria American Legion Post #12 (AKA: Clatsop AL Post #12) forming their own drum corps. They had an organized drum corps from 1926 thru 1940, and again from 1948 thru 1958. They competed at the 1936, 37, 39, and 1949 thru 1957 Oregon State American Legion championships.

In 1960 the Astoria Mariners D&BC were formed and sponsored by Clatsop AL Post #12 (above). They were Oregon State VFW Jr. Champions in 1961 and won the Oregon State American Legion Junior DC title and were the Oregon State Eagles Jr. Champions in 1962. Later that year traveled to Las Vegas for the American Legion Nationals. Their last year of existence was in 1965.

In July 1966, the City of Astoria put out the call for all organizations interested in reviving a city-wide drum corps. Both the Chinooks and the Mariners sent delegates to the meeting. So, in July of 1966, the Sunsetters D&BC were formed. Both the Sunsetters and the Mariners shared staff and marching members. The Royal Chinooks and Clatsop AL Post #12 donated their instruments to the new corps. Willian Perkins (the Mariners former drill instructor) was the Chairman and Director of the Sunsetters. The corps marched thru the end of the 1972 season.

1976 saw Bill Perkins leading the Longview-Kelso “New Mustangs” AKA: “The “Who”. Bill even brought the old Sunsetters’ green and black uniforms from Astoria for the “New Mustangs” to wear. In 1978 the “Who” morphed into the Marauders with Bill as their manager.

The Astoria Yacht Club

The Astoria Yacht Club was formed in 1894 and immediately created the Astoria Regatta. Why?? Because that’s what yacht clubs do, they race. Why not, right?? The Yacht Club was also responsible for all of the associated Regatta activities besides the boat races, like the parade that attracted drum corps and drill teams alike, even from Washington State which is a bit of a drive to the Northwest corner of Oregon.

In 1934 the Yacht Club created the Anchor Girls D&BC to be Astoria’s good-will ambassadors to events all throughout Oregon. They were the Yacht Club’s “Auxiliary”.

In 1937, they created the Royal Chinooks “Marching Club”, an all-male equivalent of the Anchor Girls. In 1953 the Royal Chinooks (RC) became a D&BC, still sponsored by the Yacht Club, now called the Royal Chinooks of Clatsop County. The RC competed throughout the state and entered the 1958, 59 and 1960 Oregon State American Legion Championships where they placed second to the Leathernecks of Portland, three times (ouch!!).

The Anchor Girls ran from 1934 thru 1941 and the Royal Chinooks from 1937 thru 1965; both with various periods of inactivity.

There you have it, the highlights of 83-years of drum corps in Astoria Oregon. What an interesting history. Drum corps used to be an important component of any town lucky enough to have one. Not so much anymore. Time marches on and things change. So shall it ever be.

The photos below appear on other pages in this site and are collected here to gather Astoria’s complete drum corps history on one page.

For additional history see:

Centennial Scouts (LINK)

Royal Chinooks on the “Senior Corps” page

Anchor Girls on the “All-Girl Corps” page

Mariners and Sunsetters on the “Western Oregon Corps” page