Located along the scenic Penobscot River, Fort Knox Historic Site is a must-see Maine attraction. It’s perfect for history buffs, little explorers, fort connoisseurs, and everyone in between. With 144 acres of historic grounds, tunnels, and scenic views to explore, kids and kids at heart will never be bored during their visit.

History

Fort Knox was created as a response to the threats of the American Revolution and the War or 1812. During these wars, Great Britain gained control of the Penobscot River and battles were being fought in the river as well as surrounding towns. They claimed land for the British Crown, but it wasn’t long before America seized the land back. Scared that the British would attack again and possibly take control of thriving towns nearby, the U.S Government decided to create a defense plan in 1825 that included building a fort, although funding didn’t come through until two decades later.

Construction began in May of 1844, and a West Point graduate named Isaac Stevens was placed in charge of the project. Gun batteries near the river were the first to be built. In 1853, the land had been excavated and workers started working on the granite foundations as well as the walls of the fort.

During the Civil War, 20-54 troops were stationed at the fort. During this period, the fort was still under construction so they had to live in temporary wooden buildings behind the fort. Around 575 Connecticut troops lived outside the Fort in tents during the Spanish-American War. There was zero enemy action on the Penobscot River during either the Civil War or the Spanish-American War.

Fort Knox was the first and largest granite Fort built in Maine. The design was similar to other forts that would be built in Maine, such as: Fort Popham, Fort Gorges, Fort Preble, and Fort Scammel.

Getting there

The fort is located alongside the Penobscot River Narrows in Prospect, Maine. It’s open to the public daily from 9:00a.m.-Sunset from May 1st to October 31st. Guided tours are available daily from 11:00a.m.-3:00p.m. Entrance fees to the fort are $2.50 for children under 11, $4.50 for adult Maine residents, $6.50 for adult nonresidents, nonresident Seniors pay $5.50 and resident Seniors get in free! Fees allow usage of fort, fort grounds, gift shop, as well as the visitor/education center.

Fun Facts

• Fort Knox was named after Major General Henry Knox, America’s first Secretary of War and Commander of Artillery during the American Revolution who retired in Thomaston Maine in 1796.

• The granite used in the fort was quarried on Mount Waldo, which is located five miles upriver from Fort Knox. After being quarried, the blocks would be brought down the mountain and then transported to the fort via boat.

• It cost about one million dollars to build Fort Knox. Funding from Congress was very sporadic at best and in 1869, construction came to an end before the fort was even finished.

• The “A” and “B” Batteries each have a hot shot furnace, which would get cannonballs so hot that they would set ships on fire shortly after hitting them. Firing hot cannonballs became pointless once ships were being constructed using iron.

Our experience

We had an amazing time visiting Fort Knox. From the outside, it looks severely underrated. But once you start walking through all of the tunnels and rooms, it never seems to end! Unfortunately, we only had a couple of hours to explore, so we weren’t able to experience all of the buildings and tunnels, but we really really enjoyed every inch of what we were able to explore. Some of our favorite parts were the Batteries, the bakery, the underground tunnels, the officers’ quarters, and the spiral staircases. I can’t wait to come back again next summer and tag along my family so they can experience it for themselves!

This million-dollar fort is absolutely worth a day trip or a road trip stop! Spend hours exploring Fort Knox, the grounds, picnicking on the lawn, and be sure to pick up some cute memorabilia in the gift shop!

Happy exploring, friends!