The idea of a fort on the Penobscot was not new when the U.S. government purchased land for Fort Knox in 1844. The Board of Engineers, established and charged by the Secretary of War to make a plan for the defense of the United States, had listed a . . . — — Map (db m55135) HM
The United States planned Fort Knox to prevent another attempt by the English to control Maine lands east of the Penobscot, as they had successfully done in the American Revolution and War of 1812.
Fort Knox's construction had not yet begun when . . . — — Map (db m55136) HM
Today's peaceful view of the Penobscot River and the community of Bucksport holds few hints of the early conflicts that plagued the area. For nearly two centuries, the river served as a border between clashing interests - French and English, Native . . . — — Map (db m55132) HM
People, machines, and animals all played a part in the slow process of raising the walls that shaped Fort Knox. But before these walls could be built, people, machines, and animals also worked to prepare the site by earth, blasting ledge, and . . . — — Map (db m55239) HM
Eight soldiers were needed to fire a 10-inch Rodman, including a chief of detachment (who gave the commands), a gunner, and six cannoneers.
The steps in firing the cannon are shown here. The gunner is indicated by "G" and the other six . . . — — Map (db m55337) HM
has been designated a
Registered National
Historic Landmark
under the provisions of the
Historic Sites Act of August 21, 1935
This site possesses exceptional value
in commemorating or illustrating
the history of the United . . . — — Map (db m55157) HM
Native Americans first paddled dug-out canoes up and down the Penobscot River about 8,000 years ago. Seeking rich hunting and fishing grounds, these people had come to live on the wooded shores of the river and bay.
Archaeology has revealed . . . — — Map (db m55129) HM
Fort Knox's roof, or terreplein, has emplacements for thirty cannons. These cannons would have been smaller than the guns planned for the casemates on the main level below.
The 30 gun circles on the terreplein were all laid and ready for guns in . . . — — Map (db m55338) HM
The nation's Third System forts, including Fort Knox, all shared similar design features. These features combined to guard against attack by ships, make it impossible for the fort to be taken quickly, [and] provide protection from a land-based, . . . — — Map (db m55137) HM
If you were to visit the nation's masonry forts built during the Fort Knox era, you would see many features common to most of them. One such feature is the casemate, a large enclosed space with a high, arched ceiling and places for cannons to fire . . . — — Map (db m55278) HM
Fort Knox's thick granite walls were designed to deflect cannon fire from ships passing through the Narrows of the Penobscot River. These walls also enclosed a pentagon-shaped center that contained the heart and soul of the fort.
All of the . . . — — Map (db m55237) HM
In the early days of the automobile, travel along this section of U.S. Route 1 involved a choice: to cross the Penobscot River, motorists could wait in long lines for a ferry or travel 27 miles north to cross the river between Bangor and Brewer. . . . — — Map (db m198629) HM
Fort Knox never had soldiers living within its walls, except for a few weeks during the Spanish American War (1898) when some Connecticut Volunteers probably camped on the parade ground or in adjacent rooms. During the Civil War, when the largest . . . — — Map (db m55210) HM
