Yes, there is a Fort Knox in Maine, and it’s a pretty cool place to check out. Originally built between 1844 and 1869, it’s now part of the Fort Knox Historical State Park located in Prospect, Maine on the shores of the Penobscot River.
Fort Knox – Why is it here?
After parking, the first building we came upon was the visitor center. Fun fact: They have a gift shop AND ice cream. Benny got a Klondike bar. Anyway, the visitor center also has a lot of information on the origins of this fort.
If you’re into America at all, you’ll soak this section up. We’re talking an American offensive in the Revolutionary War, Paul Revere getting court martialed right after, British invasions, border disputes, fear of Spanish invasions, and Maine being run as a conquered territory.
Did you learn any of that in your high school history class? Probably not. And if you did, you’re probably from Maine and you could help the rest of us learn a bit about this interesting time in American history. If you’re not into the history, no problem. Just keep scrolling, and you’ll see cool photos and videos of the fort. Even if you’re not a history person, Fort Knox is worth a visit.
American Revolution
During the Revolution, the British decided to build a fort in the nearby town of Castine. We Americans didn’t take too kindly to their not respecting our newly-declared independence, so the state of Massachusetts sent a huge naval force of 44 ships in an effort to kick the British out. (Side note: Maine was part of Massachusetts until 1820. That’s probably why I felt so at home there.) Unfortunately, the Penobscot Expedition failed, and we needed to retreat. During the retreat, Paul Revere was ordered by General Wadsworth to surrender his boat and help rescue crews. Mr. Revere decided he didn’t want to do that.
Paul Revere was found guilty of disobeying orders by a court-appointed committee, but at his court martial he was found innocent.
If you thought the British were gone for good after the Revolution, think again. They conquered the area again in 1814 during the War of 1812. (I still think we could have come up with a more imaginative name for that conflict.)
America Goes on the Defense
America had had it with being invaded by the British. After the War of 1812, we got on the defense and decided to amp up our protection. Fort Knox was born, or, rather, was built. Its mission: to defend eastern Maine from a British invasion. (Note, not “the” British invasion, which was to occur in the 20th century.) During this time period, Canada was still essentially British, and we hadn’t quite agreed about where Maine ended and the province of New Brunswick began.
The fort continued to play a defensive role during the Spanish-American War. Mines were placed throughout the river and surrounded nearby Verona Island. When the war ended, the mines were removed.
I know this crash history course can’t do Fort Knox’s past justice, so if you would like to add something, or if I made a mistake, feel free to comment below.
Exploring Fort Knox – Battery B
After reading and appreciating much of the fort’s history, it was time we went exploring. Our first stop: one of the batteries. In layman’s terms, a battery is a grouping of guns that help defend the fort. (If I got that wrong, feel free to help out and comment on the bottom of the post.)
At this first battery, we discovered this structure. It’s called a hot shot furnace. It’s purpose was to heat up cannon balls so that it would cause fires on enemy ships.
Not only were we able to explore the outside of the battery, but we were also able to go inside. We thought that was amazing. Most of the battery is well lit, but we needed to use the light on my phone to explore a room or two.
Disclaimer: When I filmed this video, I said we were in Fort Knox. We were actually still in Battery B. I’m not sure if that counts as being in the fort or not. I corrected myself in the second video.
Exploring the inside of Fort Knox
The inside of the actual fort is really clean, and it’s mostly safe to roam about and explore every nook and cranny of the fortress. It’s very family-friendly.
Benny and I did, however, manage to find a secret passageway. It kept going for what seemed like forever. And by forever, I mean a good five minutes.
After, we realized that this passageway ran through the back of fort and was on the other side of the dry moat, or ditch.
The dry moat, or ditch, of Fort Knox
The ditch was an important part of the fort’s defensive strategy: If Fort Knox were to be invaded by land, the enemy soldiers would have had to traverse the moat in order to take the fort. They would have been shot at by Americans on either side of the dry moat.
One more stop
At the beginning of our exploration, we saw Battery B. On the other side of the fort, there’s Battery A. You can explore Battery A much like its B counterpart. There was no one here when we visited, probably because you have to go down, and then up, a steeper hill than you did for Battery A. It’s worth the extra effort.
More information:
Picnic tables and charcoal grills are available outside of the fort. So bring the family, the dog, and cook up some burgers!
Another great thing about visiting Fort Knox is that it’s right next to the Penobscot Narrows Bridge Observatory. You have the option of purchasing a ticket for Fort Knox and the observatory at the same time. When we visited, a combined fort and observatory ticket cost $8 per person. For current rates, check out The State of Maine’s website.
If Maine had remained part of Massachusetts, then we would have been able to pay the in-state rate of $6 per person. I mentioned this to the worker at the ticket booth. She just laughed and said, “That’ll be $8 a person.”
It was worth a shot.
If you liked reading about our visit to Fort Knox, you should check out our visit to Fort Taber in New Bedford, MA.
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[…] The entrance to the observatory is at the base of the main support on the Prospect, ME side, near Fort Knox. […]