Built from 1844 - 1869, Fort Knox is one of a group of 42 forts, which were constructed for the defense of the coast of the United States, and for defense of the waterways they guarded. This group of forts became known as the Third System of Fortifications. The Fort was designed by Chief Engineer Joseph Totton with a number of other engineers serving as superintendents of construction, among them Isaac Ingalls Stevens and Thomas L Casey. The fort was named for Major General Henry Knox, America’s first Secretary of War, who was born in Boston but retired to Thomaston, Maine in 1796. The Fort garrisoned troops from 1863 to 1866. These troops were mostly volunteers undergoing training before being sent to their active posts and included members of the celebrated 20th Maine. Troops were also briefly stationed at the fort during the Spanish American war in 1898, but never saw military action.
Teaching Resources 
The Children's Museum of Maine serves as an indispensable resource for educators. In addition to inspiring discovery and imagination through exploration and play, the museum offers a variety of educator-led school programs.
The Pine Tree State Arboretum offers a unique educational opportunity for students at all grade levels. The six-mile trail system is open to hiking, jogging, bird watching, non-motorized biking horseback riding, and cross-country skiing on groomed winter trails. A number of trails have hard-packed surfaces suitable for wheelchair access.
The Jordan Planetarium opens a window on planets, stars and the universe, bringing the cosmos to life in the twenty foot dome theater. The Jordan Observatory is Maine’s only public observatory, and is open for sky watchers of all ages to explore the wonders of the Maine sky.