Welcome to the Bracken Cavaliers website

 Organized in 1924, the Bracken Cavaliers claim the honor of being the first

and oldest junior drum and bugle corps in the United States of America.

The corps of cadets was originally formed and sponsored as a boy scout

troop of the Bristol Presbyterian Church by it’s first director, Harold

Bolton.

In 1925, under direction of Harry Burbank, the corps became affiliated

and sponsored by the Robert W. Bracken American Legion Post No. 382 of

Bristol, which, to this date is continuing to help with the sponsoring of the

Cavaliers.

 The name Bracken is a memorial to Robert W. Bracken, the first Bristol

WWI casualty for whom the Legion bears the name, and of which the

Bracken Cavaliers have carried in proud tradition for over 80 years.