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Friends of Fort Knox
P.O. Box 456
Bucksport, ME
04416
(207) 469-6553
(207) 469-6906 FAX
fofk1@aol.com
News Archive - Jan 2006 Annual Meeting
Click Here for Friends of Fort Knox 2008 Annual Report
CLick here for the Spring 2009 Edition of the Fort Knox Times (pdf file)
Click Here for the Spring 2010 Edition of the Fort Knox Times (pdf file)
Friends of Fort Knox Help Bureau of Parks and Lands
by Meghan Hayward ·WABI Apr 21st 2010
The group Friends of Fort Knox is lending a helping hand as the state deals with more budget cuts for Maine parks and historic sites.
Even though the cuts will impact fort operations, officials say they won't catch the eyes of visitors.
Meghan Hayward reports.
The Friends of Fort Knox board of directors have responded to a request from the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands to help them stave off cuts to their budget.
" We recognize the fact that our partner the Bureau of Parks and Lands are in a tough position economically as is everyone throughout the state of Maine."
The FFK board voted to help the bureau by accepting a request for a 50 percent reduction to their management services contract for one year.
Under the contract, they provide interpretive tours, entrance fee collection, marketing and outreach services for the bureau.
In the past, contracts have allowed them to retain 50 percent of fort only admission fee income to meet contract staffing needs and preservation projects.
Some of those projects include the cannon restoration and re-pointing bricks.
Officials say they will have to slow down future projects, but visitors won't see a single change.
" We've seen instituted fees in other parks. They didn't want to increase fees throughout the entire park area."
But they say some projects will still get underway despite the reductions in revenue.
" One of them is a retaining wall on Battery B that is in very tough shape and we hope to get after that this Summer."
The fort did open earlier this year because of the warm weather.
And they encourage everyone to come visit.
" We'll give them the same great time they usually have."
Friends of Fort Knox - Annual Report 2009
Overview
The following is an annual report for the Friends of Fort Knox (FFK) reflecting the organization’s activities in 2009. This report will highlight the continuation of the Century and a Half masonry project and a downturn in three of four income sectors, which can be attributed to the national economy and poor weather during the operating season. The decline in the amount of grant revenue and private donations has a direct correlation to the downturn in the overall economy.
Overall FFK revenue was down 13.8% from 2008.
The Friends of Fort Knox Board of Directors and staff continued to work hard to contain expenses, work with community groups, maximize resources, diversify income streams and complete projects at the Fort. The success of the organization would not have been possible without the outstanding cooperation of our partners, the Bureau of Parks and Lands.
At the end of 2009, all FFK combined available unrestricted funds were $183,703, in addition, a total of $49,954* was restricted for the Century and a Half project. The total funds on hand represent an increase of 7% over 2008.
The FFK partnership with the Bureau of Parks and Lands continued to involve contracted management services. FFK staff worked the fee collection booth, provided interpretive tours for school children and visitors, traffic/parking control and provided staff for the Penobscot Narrows Observatory.
The total operational season visitor attendance at Fort Knox and the Penobscot Narrows Observatory was 78,169, during 2009. Attendance totals were down approximately 7% from the previous year. Attendance has declined a total of 15.4% since the record setting year of 2007, which marked the opening of the Penobscot Narrows Observatory.
Decline in attendance figures impact overall gate receipts and gift shop sales potentials.
*$15,000 in accounts receivable
Information in the report will be contained under general headings listed below.
Restoration/Preservation
The Century and a Half masonry project continued throughout the year and focused on repointing the ten casemate areas of the main Fort. Listed below are the significant milestones achieved thus far in the masonry project.
Priority One – There were several areas located in the Fort casemate archways where bricks were held in place by gravity. The mason reported that the bricks fell into his hand with little effort. In addition, the southern demibastion, located in “long alley”, had been closed by the Bureau of Parks and Lands in 2006, due to bricks falling from the ceiling. The above masonry work was completed in 2008.
Priority Two – Several areas located in the Fort’s “enlisted men’s quarters” and “two step alley” had missing bricks and were being further destabilized by visitors removing additional bricks. The mason repointed and replaced missing bricks from these areas. The stabilization of these areas was completed in 2008.
Priority Three – The Cistern rooms located in the “enlisted men’s quarters” had been closed to the public since the 1980s due to collapsing walls and ceiling. A major fracture was evident in the vaulted ceiling of the room leading into the above ground cistern room. The mason rebuilt the wall and repaired the ceiling in the ante room to the cistern. In addition, the mason repaired two windows, stabilized bricks on the cistern and constructed a viewing platform so that visitors could view this unique architectural feature of the Fort.
Priority Four - The Fort has ten casemate areas, one of which houses a 10-inch Rodman cannon original to the Fort. This past summer, brick repointing of the casemates was undertaken and is continuing as of this writing.
The masonry repointing project will be undertaken using the guidelines set forth by the National Park Service, U.S. Department of Interior, Preservation Briefs, “Repointing Mortar Joints in Historic Masonry Buildings.” The masonry mix being used for repointing is type “N” (1 part cement, 1 part hydrated lime or lime putty, 5-6 parts sand).
Extensive mortar loss in Fort casemate archways
Repair in casemate areas to prevent bricks from falling
Repair of archway fissure in cistern ante room of enlisted men’s quarters.
Volunteers
Volunteers are a crucial component to Friends of Fort Knox activities. A breakout in the number of volunteer hours for 2009 is listed below:
Estimated Volunteer Hours - 2009
FFK Board and Committees: 576 hours
FFK Gift Shop Volunteers: 630 hours
FFK sponsored special event volunteers includes Park Day, Easter Egg Hunt, Scottish Tattoo, 20th Maine, SCA, Fright at Fort: 3,410 hours
Total estimated Fort volunteer hours documented by the Friends: 4,616 and 315 volunteers.
Visitor Services
Interpretive Tours- Another bright spot in this year’s annual report are the interpretive tours provided by Friends’ staff and volunteer docents during 2009.
# of school group tours – 43 – 1,350 students
# of general public tours – 296 – 2,286
# of non school group tours – 38 - 909
Total # of tours – 377
Total # of individuals receiving a tour – 4,450
Due to cut backs in education funding, FFK is considering offering limited transportation scholarships to schools interested in making an educational field trip.
Summer camps often visit the Fort and enjoy an educational tour by FFK staff.
Gate Staffing- Friends of Fort Knox personnel greeted visitors throughout the operating season, providing guidance and collecting admission fees. Gate personnel provided services seven days a week, 8 hours a day for the operating season (9 hours a day July/August).
Observatory Staffing- Beginning May 1, 2009, FFK provided two staff people, seven days a week, at 8.50 hours a day (9.5 hours July/August), to operate the observatory. FFK staff was trained by BPL personnel in CPR, first aid, emergency evacuation procedures and in the use of a defibrillator. Staff performed exceptionally during several emergency evacuations of the observatory due to elevator malfunctions and a bomb threat.
The observatory looms in the summer sky awaiting daily visitors.
Special Events – Friends sponsored special events continued to please visitors with a variety of entertainment and educational demonstrations throughout the season. Notable special events included a Park Day cleanup, Maine Foster Care Family Day, Paranormal/Psychic Faire, Scottish Tattoo, Pirate Day, Medieval Tournament, 20th Maine Company ‘B’ Civil War reenactments, cannon firings, Civil War medical demonstration, Will Cotton’s reenactors, blue grass concert, Bangor Band performance, Fright at the Fort and a granite cutting demonstration.
The Friends worked closely with the Bucksport Downtown Business Association and Chamber of Commerce on two joint events. FFK provided a pirate ship to the Chamber of Commerce to provide an opportunity for families to board the vessel and meet the pirates. In addition, FFK worked closely with the two Bucksport groups to promote a new sister event to Fright at the Fort, called Ghostport.
. The “Must Roos” pirate ship ply’s the waters off Fort Knox during Pirate Day activities and a Civil War cannon firing demonstration
Financial Income
Listed below are the four main income streams for FFK that span the past four years. Significant income growth was seen in the contribution/grant percentage in 2009. Significant increase was seen in the FFK gate contract percentage, due to the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands and BPL policy change resulting in increased fees for non resident visitation. In addition, a 7.5% increase in Fort only visitation contributed to the amount FFK retained from gate fees.
Income 2009 2008 2007 2006
Gift Shop- $98,007 $99,350 $111,995 $40,154
Special Events- $48,890 $59,174 $55,732 $17,789
Gate Contract %- $90.124 $80,998 $124,765 $36,056
Contributions- $20,006 $81,517 $17,233 $40,009
Totals- $257,027 $321,039 $309,725 $134,008
Promotion and Public Education
The Friends of Fort Knox distributed over 8,000 newsletters to visitors to Fort Knox. The newsletters contained information on the history of the Fort, Friends’ restoration priorities and event schedules. Ongoing radio and television ads encouraging visitors to visit Fort Knox and the observatory aired throughout the season.
The Friends received a large amount of electronic and print media coverage throughout the year. Media coverage was driven by the reopening of the observatory, archaeology field school, restoration efforts and special events.
Future Restoration/Preservation Projects – The Friends of Fort Knox Board working in partnership with the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands have developed priorities for the Century and a Half masonry project for 2009. The masonry repointing at the Fort is expected to be continued for the next five years and will continue as rapidly as funds allow.
In addition to the previously mentioned priority project, FFK will undertake a third archaeology field school during the summer of 2010. The archaeology project may continue to focus on a known foundation of an out building presumably used during Fort construction, but the purpose of which was unknown.
It is now believed that the foundation was first associated with a residence in the late 18th Century before being transformed into a blacksmith shop during Fort construction.
Other sites may be considered for the field school that includes the area soldiers encamped during the Spanish-American War, Ordinance Sergeant’s quarters or at a location of a buried steam engine.
TV’s ‘Ghost Hunters’ takes interest in Fort Knox’s haunting lore
By Rich Hewitt
Bangor Daily News Staff
The suspected ghoulies and ghosties and things that go bump in the night at Fort Knox may be getting a visit from television paranormal investigators the “Ghost Hunters.”
The producer of the SyFy channel’s “Ghost Hunters” series and Leon Seymour, executive director of Friends of Fort Knox, are discussing the possibility of filming a segment of the show at the fort. Story Producer Patrick Powell on Monday confirmed the show’s interest in the fort, but declined to discuss the matter until details had been completed.
“We can make it happen,” Seymour said this week. The fort was constructed between 1844 and 1869, and although troops were housed there during the Civil War, the fort never saw any action. And though no one actually died inside the fort, several people have reported hearing voices and seeing images inside.
At least one psychic has confirmed the existence of spirits in the fort. Some have suggested the spirits are those of a solider who had strong ties to the fort, such as Sgt. Leopold Hegyi, who served there for 13 years and died in the house where he lived across the road from the fort.
In addition to many unexplained experiences, visitors, over the years, perhaps sensing something in the fort, have asked guides about the possibility that the place is haunted.
The Friends organization helps to bolster that idea of ghosts with its annual Psychic and Paranormal Fair and the Fright at the Fort celebration at Halloween in which real-life spooks haunt the dank and dark alleys inside the fort.
Seymour stressed, however, that the Friends group has not taken any position on whether there are ghosts at the fort, but he said the “Ghost Hunters” investigation could be a boon for the fort and the surrounding area.
“A television show that is seen by millions will certainly put the area on the map,” he said. “It would focus attention on the fort and the observatory, and increase visitation, which can only be a benefit for everyone, except maybe the ghosts who might be disturbed.”
In recent years, several local paranormal groups, such as Bangor Ghost Hunters, Central Maine Paranormal and Maine Supernatural, have conducted investigations at the fort and have posted their results on their Web sites. According to Seymour, the Bangor Ghost Hunters were featured on a local television news program where they offered their opinion that the fort is indeed haunted.
The SyFy Channel’s “Ghost Hunters” is a one-hour weekly reality show that follows a group of real-life paranormal researchers as they investigate hauntings throughout the country, according to the show Web site. Led by Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson, plumbers by trade who head the Atlantic Paranormal Society, the team investigates “seemingly unexplainable disturbances.”
Seymour said he has contacted the Maine Department of Conservation’s Bureau of Public Lands, which manages the fort, for approval to have the TV crew film there. He said he is awaiting an activity permit for the shoot from Public Lands.
There has been some local interest in the program, and Seymour said he already has forwarded about 10 names of area residents who have expressed a willingness to be interviewed for the show. Despite Maine’s winter cold temperature and heavy snowstorms such as the one last weekend, Seymour said the producers indicated the “Ghost Hunters” could arrive in town as soon as February.
Anyone interested in participating in the show with a personal paranormal experience at the fort can contact the Friends at FOFK1@aol.com or by phone, 469-6553.
Pirate Day 2009 at Fort Knox
by Amy Erickson · Aug 08th 2009 · WABI - TV
Historic Fort Knox in Prospect was invaded by pirates Saturday,but it was all in fun. The Friends of Fort Knox sponsored their annual "Pirate Day" for folks young and old. Hundreds of folks turned out in costume, trying out their best pirate accents, to take part in the festivities, which included several contests, from best sounding pirate to best-dressed. There was also a pirate parade and two treasure hunts. The highlight of the day was the arrival of the professional Pirates of the Dark Rose, who sailed to Fort Knox aboard their authentic Pirate Ship, the "must Roos."
Organizers say besides being a lot of fun, the event also brought in some much-needed revenue to the Fort, which has been struggling this summer because of the bad weather and the economy.
Archaeology Dig at Fort Knox Reveals Clues to Past
by Amy Erickson WABI - TV · Aug 05th 2009
Budding archaeologists are spending the week at Fort Knox in Prospect.
A special field school is allowing amateurs to try their hands at digging for clues to the past.
Amy Erickson has more.
"A tremendous amount of history. You just have to find it."
That's just what Faith Campbell intends to do.
She and six other students are spending the week at Fort Knox's second annual Archaeology Field School.
It's a chance for budding archaeologists to study under a master...and help dig up clues to the Fort's past.
They're focusing on an old foundation near the Visitor Center.
The spot once housed support buildings while the Fort was under construction.
"My working idea is that this is the blacksmith shop. We found a number of artifacts that went along with that, including nailstock that was used to make nails...and other tools that make sense together only if they're at the blacksmith shop."
Historical Archaeologist Peter Morrison is the project leader.
He's helped the students uncover everything from railroad spikes to buttons...even some old crockery.
"It makes the history quite real when you find something that...the last person that held it was a blacksmith, this is where he dropped it...sometimes you get a really direct connection to that history."
"It's adding to the story of Fort Knox. There were many support buildings here. We don't know where they were. There is, in fact, an undiscovered Fort Knox, so every time we do a field school, we're discovering more about it and adding to the base of knowledge about Fort Knox."
Campbell, for one, wants to do her part to help others make that connection to Maine's history.
"So many of our history textbooks talk about Virginia and Massachusetts."
"not a lot has been written about Maine history, or as much as we'd like."
Fort Knox gets facelift in advance of busy season
By Steve Fuller
The Republican Journal Reporter
PROSPECT (April 21): Volunteers came from near and far Saturday, April 18, to give the grounds at Fort Knox a bit of a facelift prior to the state park's opening next week.
Friends of Fort Knox Executive Director Leon Seymour said it was the sixth year the cleanup day has been held. It takes place in conjunction with the Civil War Preservation Trust's "Park Day," a national effort to clean Civil War sites.
T-shirts with this logo were given to participants in Saturday's cleanup at Fort Knox. (Photos by Steve Fuller)
"This is a Civil War site, even though there was no action here," Seymour said. "It was manned for defense during the Civil War."
Grace Clement from Prospect was one of those helping out Saturday morning.
Grace Clement of Prospect rakes leaves. (Photo by Steve Fuller)
"I live across the street, so it's easy to get here," said Clement as she raked leaves. Another local who pitched in was Carol Lewandowski, of Verona Island, who has participated for a couple of years.
Verona Island resident Carol Lewandowski smiles while raking leaves. Other volunteers in the background prepare to head out to their assignments. (Photo by Steve Fuller)
Traveling a slightly longer distance were the 15 Scouts and half-dozen adults from Boy Scout Troop 310 of Saco. The Scouts, as per their motto, came well prepared with rakes, leaf blowers and power sweepers. There were more Scouts than power tools, however, which meant seniority was needed to determine who would use them.
Boy Scouts from Troop 310 in Saco clean the grounds at Fort Knox on Saturday, April 18, in the shadow of the Penobscot Narrows Bridge and Observatory. (Photo by Steve Fuller)
As one younger Scout went to pick up a power tool, an older peer gently informed him he wouldn't be able to use it. "No, no, no," said the older Scout. "Newbies aren't allowed to use the power tools.
"But we're smart," said the younger Scout.
The older Scout said he knew young Scouts were smart, but that he was just following instructions.
First Class Scout Dylan Court, of Boy Scout Troop 310 in Saco, operates a power sweeper in the parking lot. (Photo by Steve Fuller)
Martha Mitchell, a teacher from Thomaston, came for the first time; she was on school vacation and wanted to do something outdoors with Earth Day approaching. "Earth Day is coming up," she said, "and this is kind of an earthy contribution."
Martha Mitchell, a teacher from Thomaston, freshens mulch around a tree near the Fort Knox visitor center. (Photo by Steve Fuller)
Fort Knox, which opens Friday, May 1, has a busy 2009 schedule. In addition to the traditional Civil War re-enactments and cannon firings, other favorites, including the psychic and paranormal fair, will return.
Volunteers break for a group photo. (Photo by Steve Fuller)
Music lovers will have lots from which to choose, too. Bluegrass, bagpipes and rock and roll are among this summer's offerings. For those interested in history, there will be another archeological field school as well as a granite-cutting demonstration.
For those with a theatrical bent, there will be two nights of Shakespeare productions. Additional drama and fine acting are likely to be found during two other events — the pirate festival and medieval tournament.
Athletes looking for a challenge — that's probably the nicest word for it — can sign up for the "Double Hill Duathlon," in September. It will feature a 3-mile run followed by a 15-mile bike leg; both portions traverse the hilly Route 174.
All these events will lead up to what Seymour — with a sly grin — calls "the big enchilada." That would be Fright at the Fort, which will celebrate its 10 anniversary in October. Though details remain sketchy at this point, Seymour said there will be "something special" to mark the milestone.
This bumper sticker on a Fort Knox vehicle promoted the 2008 installment of Fright at the Fort. This fall marks its 10th anniversary, and Friends of Fort Knox Executive Director Leon Seymour says special features will mark the milestone. (Photo by Steve Fuller)
Additional information about all these events, and registration forms for the race and the archeological field school, may be found at fortknox.maineguide.com.
"We try and offer a variety of events to attract a diverse group of people," said Seymour, after listing all the planned events. "We do it all, here."
The Republican Journal Reporter Steve Fuller can be reached at 207-338-3333 or by e-mail at sfuller@villagesoup.com.
Fort Knox Restoration Project
Photographic Dispatches from Fort
Knox, Prospect, Maine
This "long alley" demibastion was reopened this season.
Above ground cistern rooms reopened to the public for the first time in two decades. Tim Hall, Bureau of Parks and Lands Northern Region Director (left) and FFK Chair, Chris Popper (right), cut the ribbon reopening the rooms in October 2008.
Rebekah Woodworth, from Rockport, Maine, displays a nail found during the first FFK archaeology field school held in August. Rebekah and Alma Morrison, from Scituate, Massachusetts, pictured on the right, carefully probe for potential artifacts.
Parking lot lights are off loaded and installed by FFK this season. FFK Board member and 20th Maine Civil War reenactor, Michael Celli, lectures visitors on medical practices during the war.
Two local companies pitch in to help at the Fort. Green Thumb, of Brewer, sprays vegetation causing damage to masonry joints on the Fort facade and Wardwell Construction, Bucksport, repairs collapsed wall in Battery 'B'.
Captain Crudbeaard entertains those attending "Pirate Day" at the Fort, while eager listeners learn about ghost hunting techniques at the annual paranormal/psychic faire. The faire was the busiest weekend at Fort Knox this season. Other notable special events included the Scottish Tattoo, Medieval Tournament, Civil War encampments, granite cutting demonstrations and cannon firing.
Fright at the Fort attracted 8,700 visitors and added funds for the Century and a Half masonry repair project.
Repair project a challenge for local mason
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By Rich Hewitt
BDN Staff
PROSPECT, Maine — The Friends of Fort Knox on Sunday reopened a section of the historic fort housing an above-ground cistern that has been closed to the public for decades.
The cistern — a reservoir for storing water — and adjoining enlisted-men’s quarters were refurbished this summer as part of the Friends group’s “Century and a Half” masonry project — work on the fort began in 1843 and was completed in 1869. Orrington mason Joe Bowley repaired loose and falling bricks on the walls of the cistern and quarters and on vaulted ceilings in both rooms. Bowley also replaced and repaired mortar in areas of the walls and ceilings.
“The bricks were falling,” Bowley said. “We lost one big chunk.”
Leon Seymour, the executive director of the Friends group, said they were concerned about bricks falling on people’s heads. That is why the area had been closed to the public for at least two decades, he said.
Many of the fallen bricks had been taken from the fort, and one whole section of the wall of the enlisted-men’s quarters was missing, Bowley said. He was able to draw on stores of old bricks that had been salvaged from around the fort, but many were different sizes and textures than those that remained in place. That posed a challenge for the mason, but the biggest challenge, he said, was a force of nature.
“We were fighting gravity,” Bowley said.
When the cistern and the quarters were built, the builders would have used forms to create the vaulted ceilings, he said. He had to use a 2-by-4 support system to hold sections of brick in place while the mortar dried.
“It was quite a challenge,” he said.
Bowley and his crew spent much of the summer working on the areas in most need of repair, and worked about three weeks on the cistern and quarters areas.
Tim Hall, regional manager for the Bureau of Parks and Lands which oversees the historic site, said the cistern, one of four in the fort, was an important feature in the design of Fort Knox and other forts which could provide water to the defenders in the event of a siege.
“The Friends of Fort Knox have used their own money to bring this area back into public view so that we can better understand the history and how the fort worked,” Hall said.
Also present for the ribbon cutting were Chris Popper, chairman of the Friends of Fort Knox; Sen. Carol Weston, R-Waldo County; and fort manager Mike Wilusz.
The cistern, and another aboveground cistern that is bricked in, is an unusual feature, according to Seymour.
“You won’t see them anywhere else,” he said.
The restoration of the cistern is part of the first phase of the masonry project, which is expected to continue through spring. Bowley has provided the Friends with a 10 percent discount on his work, which has kept the costs reasonable, Seymour said. The group still expects to spend about $75,000 on Phase I of the project by the time it is completed.
Phase II of the project will involve identifying the major areas of masonry work that might cause safety concerns in the fort, and Phase III will include repairing the rest of the masonry work around the fort.
“We want to bring the rest of the masonry up to snuff, so that it will last another 150 years,” he said.
Artifacts unearthed at Fort Knox tell 2 tales
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By Rich Hewitt
BDN Staff
PROSPECT, Maine — Artifacts uncovered from an archaeological dig at Fort Knox this summer tell two different stories about the dig site.
The artifacts came from the Friends of Fort Knox’s first archaeological field school this summer. The field school brought in people for two weeklong sessions to work with historical archaeologist Peter Morrison on the excavation of an area around an old foundation located near the visitors center at the fort.
Morrison presented the findings on Sunday before the Friends’ annual meeting. He theorized that the building that once stood on the site was a blacksmith shop during the construction of the fort, but a home occupied the site much earlier. Construction of the fort began in 1843 and ended in 1869.
Students at the field school cleared the site and, under Morrison’s direction, carefully dug at chosen sites inside and around the foundation stones. They cataloged all of the artifacts they unearthed.
“We have two sets of artifacts that tell two different stories,” Morrison said.
The first set of artifacts included window glass and ceramics, Morrison said, and the window glass was Crown glass, a method of making glass panes that was common in the 1700s.
“By the 1840s this would have been an obsolete way of making glass,” he said.
The ceramic bits found at the site included pieces of teacups, saucers and dinner plates. The plates were Pearl, ware made through the 1700s and into the early 1800s, he said. Bits of stoneware made in England right through the Revolution were also found.
“These would have been old pieces of ceramics by the time the fort was being built,” he said. “This all hints that this was a residence from the late 1700s to the early 1800s. That’s not terribly surprising.”
Morrison noted that the fort property was purchased in three different transactions that included three farms. The original building may have been one of those farmhouses.
The second set of artifacts tells a different story, one more like the one Morrison said he expected to find. Those artifacts included a lot of metal: railroad spikes, an iron pin, wedges and half-rounds or feathers used to cut granite, a piece of iron nail stock used to make nails and two padlocks, all types of tools or materials that would have been in use during the construction of the fort, he said.
While one or two items might have been found at sites around the fort while it was being constructed, Morrison said the one place they all would have been found was in a blacksmith shop.
The cataloged artifacts will be cleaned in the lab, Morrison said, which may tell researchers more about the site.
The Friends group hopes to continue the archaeological field school next year with the idea of unearthing more of the hidden history of Fort Knox.
667-9394
Dig aims to identify building once near Fort Knox
Thursday, August 14, 2008 - Bangor Daily News (Reprinted with permission)
PROSPECT, Maine - Who didn’t want to be an archaeologist when they were a kid?
A group of fledgling Indiana Joneses is getting that chance this week at the first Friends of Fort Knox Archaeology Field School at the Fort Knox Historic Site. And though the search may not be for the Crystal Skull, the dig at the fort is being conducted to solve a local mystery.
Under the direction of archaeologist Peter Morrison, the students at the field school are excavating the site of a building that sits outside the fort proper near the edge of the fort’s northern boundary. The stone foundation of the building had been discovered during previous archaeological work done at the site.
Although the stones of the foundation are easily visible, no one knows what the building might have been used for.
"We’ve been toying with the idea of a field school for several years," said Leon Seymour, executive director for the Friends of Fort Knox. "We’re interested in telling the story of the lost Fort Knox."
During the 25 years between 1844 and 1869 that the fort was being built, there were more than 20 buildings scattered around the 120 acres currently owned by the state of Maine as part of the fort complex. There were temporary barracks, mess halls, barns for oxen and stone sheds for shaping the granite blocks for the fort.
"There was a thriving little community here," Seymour said. "The records are not very exact. We have a general idea of what buildings were here. But for this building, we have no idea what it was."
The field school started Monday with the students, who paid tuition to participate, clearing the site of trees and brush. That effort uncovered rock divisions inside the main foundations that have posed another puzzle for the dig team.
"We don’t know if those divisions represent divisions within the building itself for different uses or if they are purely structural," Morrison said.
Items uncovered in the different sections may help determine whether the building had multiple uses, he said.
Early finds from the various pits dug within and outside the foundations have included nails, glass and pieces of crockery and dinnerware, which seem to indicate that the building served as some type of residence. They haven’t found anything yet that definitively identifies how the building was used, Morrison said, and it is unlikely that they will find that one piece.
"We’re dealing with a puzzle with thousands of pieces," he said. "We don’t often have just one piece that explains everything. And part of the problem is that a lot of the pieces are missing."
All those artifacts, as well as modern items that have been dumped on the site, are being cataloged as they are found and will be taken to a lab to be analyzed.
The field school has attracted participants of all ages, some local and others from around the country.
"Who didn’t want to be an archaeologist?" said Rebekah Woodworth of Rockport, a facilities manager for a Rockland biotech manufacturing firm. The dig at Fort Knox, she said, was a chance to put pieces of history together, to get a more complete understanding of the period.
Charlie Mock, a paramedic from Holden, and Guy Hamlin, a high school history teacher from Belfast, were working on a pit outside the foundation Wednesday. Mock, a self-described "history geek," said he was enjoying learning a little more of the history of the place.
"Things don’t just happen; people make them happen," he said. "The story of the fort is fascinating, and we’re learning more about the people who came here and poured out their sweat to build this place."
Hamlin said he hopes to incorporate the story of the fort into his American history classes, including possibly involving his students in the dig itself. That was part of the reason Deb Youcis of Bucksport and Ann Marancik of Orland signed up to work at the field school. The two will team-teach a third-grade class next year at the Orland Consolidated School, adapting the fort and its history into a variety of subject areas.
They’re also into the digging.
"It’s the suspense, the fun of finding something and getting to unearth it," Marancik said.
"The first thing we found was a piece of glass," said Youcis, who volunteers as a tour guide at the fort. "It was just a tiny little shard, but it makes you want to keep going."
There’s something about the site that "calls to you," Marancik said, "and makes you want to find out what people were doing here."
"There’s a story here," Youcis added. "We just have to piece it together."
The field school fits in with the mission of the Friends group to expand the educational and cultural value of the fort, Seymour said. The fort’s grounds hold a number of other potential sites for digs, and Seymour said the Friends group would like to make the field school an annual event.
667-9394