Katahdin Rangers

             Many musical groups have come and gone throughout Millinocket’s almost 125 year history. For many years, the Millinocket Band appeared in parades and played concerts at the bandstand. The Stearns High School band represented Maine at the Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, DC in 1954. The elementary schools have had bands and many local individuals and small groups performed at different functions through the years. The local American Legion once had a drum and bugle corps.

A notable well-known and well-traveled group was the Katahdin Rangers, a drum and bugle corps formed in 1960 by the Recreation Department director Bill Milliken. On his own time, he gathered a group of boys between the ages of 12 and 18. The earliest photo of the group in the Museum’s collection shows them in street clothes (no uniforms yet). Later, an all-girl color guard was added under the leadership of Jean Simon.

The Katahdin Rangers would march and/or compete in many events up-and-down the Eastern seaboard and in Eastern Canada. News articles from the Millinocket Journal and other papers highlight some of the travels of this group in the early 1960’s.

May 1961 – The Rangers returned from the Jaycee State Convention with the championship trophy after competing in the 3-mile-long parade that included 5 other drum corps. On the way back to Millinocket, the group presented a half-hour concert in front of the Augusta House (Jaycee State headquarters). Later that May, the group met at the VFW Hall on Memorial Day and participated in the long parade that traveled down Penobscot Ave. to Central St. and on to the cemetery.

In Sept. 1961, the Rangers performed before an audience of 9000 in Agawam, MA in the Field Drill Exhibition. Their 12 ½ minute drill “never looked better and their colorful precision drills brought forth much applause and cheers.” The group won awards there (Color Guard, Corps and cymbalist Bobby Boynton). Also, that September, the group participated in five more events including the Clinton, ME Centennial Celebration, a program at Dow AF Base, Pop Warner Football League playoffs in Brewer, a competition in Lewiston and an exhibition at the local airport.

Competitions, parades and other events happened in the following months. In August, 1963 (year #5), the Rangers headed to Miami to compete in the National Junior Drum & Bugle Corps Contest. Chartered busses, a stay at the Kenilworth Hotel, the competition and then the long trip home. (Note: The news article in The Maine Legionnaire was written prior to the trip so no hint as who won. Any reader know the results??) The trip home included a stop in Washington, DC, a meeting with Maine Congressman Clifford McIntire, a tour of the US Capitol Building followed by a Rangers concert on the steps of the US Capitol building and lunch in the Capitol cafeteria. Then home! A long 10 day trip of competitions, awards, sightseeing and more!

I’m not sure when the Katahdin Rangers disbanded, but the group was resurrected later as the Northern Knights who also competed in many events. If readers have information, news articles or other Ranger memorabilia, please consider sharing! We can scan news articles, programs and photos if you wish to keep originals.