Joseph G. Totten Sites

Fort Knox is a massive granite fort built to protect the Penobscot river in the aftermath of the failure of the US to protect river towns and the valuable lumber trade from British depredations during the Revolution, the War of 1812, and northern border tensions around 1838-39. Construction began in 1844 and continued until 1869. It was used intermittently and never saw action. In 1923, the US military sold it as surplus to the State of Maine for $2,121. During 1935-1936, a work crew from the Ellsworth CCC Co. 159 helped transform the fort into a major tourist destination. According to...