Fort Knox State Park
National Historic Landmark

Fort Knox State Park

Prospect, Waldo County, Maine
Listed
September 30, 1969
Type
Structure
Period
Early Republic
Ref No.
69000023

About this property

Fort Knox, now Fort Knox State Park or Fort Knox State Historic Site, 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. 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. Fort Knox also serves as the entry site for the observation tower of the Penobscot Narrows Bridge that opened to the public in 2007.

Location

Prospect, Waldo County, Maine
44.56432, -68.80232

Categories

MILITARYARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Overview
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The Land
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Geology
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Conflict & War
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The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
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Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
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Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
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Literature
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Spotlight
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Nearby Historic Sites

Emery, James, House
Industrial
0.5 mi
Bucksport Railroad Station
Industrial
0.6 mi
Heywood, Phineas, House
Industrial
0.7 mi
Buck Memorial Library
Industrial
0.7 mi
Brown-Pilsbury Double House
Industrial
0.7 mi

Questions about this property

When was Fort Knox State Park listed on the National Register?

Fort Knox State Park was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 30, 1969.

What type of historic resource is Fort Knox State Park?

Fort Knox State Park is classified as a structure in the National Register of Historic Places.

Is Fort Knox State Park a National Historic Landmark?

Yes. Fort Knox State Park has been designated a National Historic Landmark (NHL), the highest level of federal recognition for historic properties in the United States.

What is the period of significance for Fort Knox State Park?

The period of significance for Fort Knox State Park is recorded as the early_republic era, specifically around 1844.

Can I research the history near Fort Knox State Park?

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