Fort Knox (Maine)

This article is about the historic fort in Maine, United States. For the US Army post, see Fort Knox. For the census-designated place, see Fort Knox, Kentucky.
Fort Knox
Fort Knox, Maine painting by Seth Eastman done between 1870 and 1875
Fort Knox is located in Maine
Fort Knox
Fort Knox
Location in Maine
LocationProspect, Maine
Coordinates44°33′58.3″N 68°48′8.7″W / 44.566194°N 68.802417°W / 44.566194; -68.802417
Area124 acres (50 ha)
Built1844
ArchitectColonel Joseph G. Totten, US Army Corps of Engineers
NRHP reference No.69000023
Significant dates
Added to NRHPOctober 1, 1969
Designated NHLDecember 30, 1970

Fort Knox, now Fort Knox State Park or Fort Knox State Historic Site,[1] is located on the western bank of the Penobscot River in the town of Prospect, Maine, about 5 miles (8.0 km) from the mouth of the river. Built between 1844 and 1869, it was the first fort in Maine built entirely of granite; most previous forts used wood, earth, and stone.[2] It is named after Major General Henry Knox, the first U.S. Secretary of War and Commander of Artillery during the American Revolutionary War, who at the end of his life lived not far away in Thomaston. As a virtually intact example of a mid-19th century granite coastal fortification, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1969 and declared a National Historic Landmark on December 30, 1970.[3][4] Fort Knox also serves as the entry site for the observation tower of the Penobscot Narrows Bridge that opened to the public in 2007.[5]

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  2. ^ Wade, pp. 235-240
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