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Fort Knox
Fort
Knox, built in 1844, is Maine’s
most visited national historic site. While
the fort is officially in the town of Prospect,
we can’t help but think of it as our
own as we look over at its stately beauty
every day.
Named
after Major General Henry Knox, Fort Knox
looks down on Bucksport from its perch over
the Penobscot River. Maine's first granite
fort was begun in 1844, after the stretch
of the river between Bangor and Castine
had been the scene of several conflicts.
The fort was built to keep Bangor from being
captured by the British during the Maine-New
Brunswick border dispute. Fortunately no
battles ever ensued, and the fort remains
as an eternal monument to vigilance for
Maine’s freedom.
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The fort’s namesake, Major General
Henry Knox, was America's first Secretary
of War and Commander of Artillery in the
American Revolution. General Knox lived
in Thomaston, Maine during the final years
of his life. America's other Fort Knox,
located in Kentucky, was also named after
him.
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Fort Knox's granite comes from Mount Waldo,
located about five miles upriver from the
fort in Frankfort, Maine. Huge granite blocks
were quarried, transported down the mountain,
then carried by river barge to Fort Knox's
wharf.
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The fort saw two periods of military activity.
As many as 117 Maine volunteers were garrisoned
there from 1863 - 1866 during the Civil
War. About 500 Connecticut troops were stationed
at the fort in 1898, during the Spanish
- American War.
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Nearly a million dollars was spent to build
Fort Knox. Congressional appropriations
were sporadic and construction continued
for 25 years. When work finally stopped
in 1869, the fort was still not completely
finished.
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