named for General Henry Knox, is located in the town of Prospect in Fort Knox State Park on the banks of the Penobscot River across from Bucksport.
Fort Knox from Bucksport, c. 1940
The British controlled this area of the Maine coast during the War of 1812 and during the tensions surrounding the Aroostook War in 1838, the area felt threatened again.
Maine’s largest historic fort, it features stunning military architecture and master granite craftsmanship. Constructed between 1844 and 1869, the fort was strategically located on the narrows of the Penobscot River, protecting the City of Bangor and its surrounding area. The main building, the first granite fort built in Maine, measures 252 by 146 feet. It has the capacity for over 130 cannons.
Fort Knox from Penobscot Narrows Observation Tower (2012)
Although it never saw combat, Fort Knox was garrisoned during the Civil and Spanish-American Wars. Since it was still under construction, the Civil War garrison was less than fifty troops. About 500 soldiers from Connecticut pitched their tents near the fort for a month during the Spanish-American War.
Additional resources
Cayford, John E. Fort Knox: Fortress in Maine. Brewer, Me. Cay-Bel Publishing. 1983.
Dunnack, Henry E. A History of Fort Knox State Park. Augusta, Me. Distributed by State Park Commission. 1960?
Source: photo “Fort Knox from Bucksport, c. 1940” courtesy of Maine State Archives, George French Collection.