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After visiting the Penobscot Narrows bridge observatory, we turned our attention to Maine’s largest historic fort which is literally right next door.

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Fort Knox, named after General Henry Knox, America’s first Secretary of War and Commander of Artillery in the Revolution. He spent his final years just down the road in Thomaston. And yes, that other Fort Knox in Kentucky is named after him as well.

The first thing we saw upon entering the Fort’s grounds?

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Proof!

I’m guessing this was a Halloween decoration as they host a big event here for the holiday. Or rather, I’m hoping.

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The Fort sits on a peninsula jutting out into the Penobscot River and was deemed the perfect defensive spot in 1844. Almost a million dollars was spent on its construction, but it took Congress 25 years to allot those funds and as with most government run projects, it was never actually completed.

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But no matter, it’s still an impressive place.

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More Halloween decorations, which to be honest annoyed the photographer in me.

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Yeah, Stephen King rules. We get it.

A diagram of the fort.

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The minute you enter through the sally port you’re struck by how well designed this was.

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The granite was local and expertly fitted.

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Inside? It’s all about the canons.

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Small cannons.

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And Big Bertha ass cannons.

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You know every single child ignores that sign.

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Room after room of cannons. Two floors and four batteries contain mounts for 135 of those babies but only 74 were ever brought to the site. Not as many as it could hold, but that still requires a lot of balls. In more ways than one.

To be continued..

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