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US Bullion Depository, Fort Knox, KentuckyUS Bullion Depository, Fort Knox, Kentucky · Photo: Work permit Original author=Cliff · CC BY-SA 4.0
C−History
History · Fort Knox

Fort Knox dates to 1918, and 1 of its places is on the National Register

More historic than 20% of U.S. towns · #117 of 142 in Kentucky. What drives it

Most of Fort Knox was built recently: 8% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1976. Its Register listing is the US Bullion Depository, Fort Knox, Kentucky. Below: 23 old photos and papers and maps from 1936 on.

1918founded
1on the National Register
8%homes built before 1940
23old photos & papers
30famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
From Fort Knox’s archive · credits on each photo
Quick answers

How Fort Knox began

When was Fort Knox founded?

1918

Fort Knox dates its founding to 1918 (Wikidata). Its post office opened in 1874.

2020 census: 7,742108 years

How historic is Fort Knox?

C−

More historic than 20% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1874.The full story ↓
History grade

What drives Fort Knox’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Fort Knox is more historic than 20% of U.S. towns, #117 of 142 in Kentucky. Its share of homes from before 1940 holds the grade up; its age pulls it down.

C−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Fort Knox’s overall grade.
Founding era1918, from Wikidata: founded 1900–1944, an older era than 9% of U.S. townsDHomes built before 19407.6% of homes (±2.0) · typical KY town 5.9% · U.S. 8.4%C+National Register1 listing, 1.1 per 10,000 residents · typical KY town 29.9 · U.S. 2.4C+
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 20%
NewerOlder
Kentucky towns of 2,500+ (142)Ahead of 18%

Kentucky towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical Kentucky town has 29.9 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Fort Knox’s 1.1 sits below most of its state (25% of Kentucky towns have fewer) while its 1 listings outnumber those of 51% of U.S. towns.

How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from D to C. The pre-1940 share (±2.0 points) is firm at this size. Two sources give 1918.

Founding year: Wikidata (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →

What stands out about Fort Knox’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A town in old photos23 old photos, postcards and papers, 1930–1942.Lost villages1 post office opened and closed inside today’s Fort Knox, and 5 old place names are still on the map.Famous sons and daughtersRandolph Bresnik, Becky Ann Baker and 28 more were born here.
★ What stands out · By decade

Fort Knox, decade by decade

2 decades in the archive, from the 1930s to the 1940s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.

1930s5 items
Air view, Fort Knox, Ky (69812)c. 1930Air view, Fort Knox, Ky (69812)Brick Hospital, Fort Knox, Ky (78758)c. 1930Brick Hospital, Fort Knox, Ky (78758)Entrance Drive, Fort Knox, Ky (69811)c. 1930Entrance Drive, Fort Knox, Ky (69811)Greetings from Fort Knox, KY (69714)c. 1930Greetings from Fort Knox, KY (69714)Light tanks1939Light tanks
1940s18 items
Fort Knox, KY LST Building in WWII1942Fort Knox, KY LST Building in WWIIFort Knox, Kentucky. Scout cars. "All present and correct." Scout cars, in which soldiers of the armored forces are tra…1942Fort Knox, Kentucky. Scout cars. "All present and cor…Fort Knox, Kentucky. Armored force personnel. Litter bearers go through their routine as the armored force outfit to wh…1942Fort Knox, Kentucky. Armored force personnel. Litter …Fort Knox, Kentucky. Armored force personnel. "Tankers," as crewmen of the tank corps are called. These capable soldier…1942Fort Knox, Kentucky. Armored force personnel. "Tanker…Fort Knox, Kentucky. Armored force personnel. "Tankers," as crewmen of the tank corps are called. These capable soldier…1942Fort Knox, Kentucky. Armored force personnel. "Tanker…Fort Knox, Kentucky. Light tanks. Tough soldiers all. The men of this light tank crew, in training near Fort Knox, Kent…1942Fort Knox, Kentucky. Light tanks. Tough soldiers all.…Fort Knox, Kentucky. Light tanks. The light tanks used at Fort Knox, Kentucky, for training and hardening crews for our…1942Fort Knox, Kentucky. Light tanks. The light tanks use…Fort Knox, Kentucky. Light tanks. The light tanks used at Fort Knox, Kentucky, for training and hardening crews for our…1942Fort Knox, Kentucky. Light tanks. The light tanks use…Fort Knox, Kentucky. Light tanks. The light tanks used at Fort Knox, Kentucky, for training and hardening crews for our…1942Fort Knox, Kentucky. Light tanks. The light tanks use…Fort Knox, Kentucky. Light tanks. The light tanks used at Fort Knox, Kentucky, for training and hardening crews for our…1942Fort Knox, Kentucky. Light tanks. The light tanks use…Fort Knox, Kentucky. Light tanks. The light tanks used at Fort Knox, Kentucky, for training and hardening crews for our…1942Fort Knox, Kentucky. Light tanks. The light tanks use…Fort Knox. Earth moving equipment. A new access road to Fort Knox, Kentucky begins to take form as a bulldozer and trac…1942Fort Knox. Earth moving equipment. A new access road …Fort Knox. Earth moving equipment. A huge carryall scraper and a powerful tractor work on a cut-and-fill job as a new a…1942Fort Knox. Earth moving equipment. A huge carryall sc…Fort Knox. Earth moving equipment. A huge carryall scraper and a powerful tractor work on a cut-and-fill job as a new a…1942Fort Knox. Earth moving equipment. A huge carryall sc…Fort Knox. M-3 tank crews. Commander of a tank crew at Fort Knox, Kentucky. The Fort Knox school for tank crews has gra…1942Fort Knox. M-3 tank crews. Commander of a tank crew a…Fort Knox, Kentucky. Light tanks. This light tank, used at Fort Knox, Kentucky, for training and hardening crews for th…1942Fort Knox, Kentucky. Light tanks. This light tank, us…Fort Knox, Kentucky. Light tanks. This light tank, used at Fort Knox, Kentucky, for training and hardening crews for th…1942Fort Knox, Kentucky. Light tanks. This light tank, us…Fort Knox, Kentucky. Light tanks. This light tank, used at Fort Knox, Kentucky, for training and hardening crews for th…1942Fort Knox, Kentucky. Light tanks. This light tank, us…
1950s–1990snothing yet
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Add from your album
Places that used to be

Lost post offices, old corners, places now gone and burying grounds

Fort Knox’s post office has been open since 1932. Another post office, Stithton, opened and closed inside today’s town.

Stithton
1874–1925
Fort Knox
1932–today
18701950today
Hamlets and corners on the map
Dietz AcresGaffey HeightsPrichard PlaceRose TerraceVan Voorhis Manor
Gone or out of use
Snow Mountain Air Force Stationmilitary
8cemeteries and burying grounds inside Fort Knox
BleakleyCalvin Cemetery Number 1DavisFort Knox PostHartMontgomeryStithonSutherland

US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

Famous people

30 famous people were born in Fort Knox

Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.

See all →
Randolph BresnikAstronaut, Fighter pilot · b. 1967
B
Becky Ann BakerAmerican actress · b. 1953
Suzan-Lori ParksAmerican writer · b. 1963
Thomas AmlongAmerican rower · b. 1935
Emayatzy CorinealdiAmerican actress · b. 1980
Mike DoughtySinger-songwriter · b. 1970
The story

How Fort Knox came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Fort Knox.

Read it all →

Fortifications were constructed near the site in 1861, during the Civil War when Fort Duffield was constructed. Fort Duffield was located on what was known as Muldraugh Hill on a strategic point overlooking the confluence of the Salt and Ohio Rivers and the Louisville and Nashville Turnpike. The area was contested by both Union and Confederate forces. Bands of organized guerrillas frequently raided the area during the war. John Hunt Morgan and the 2nd Kentucky Cavalry Regiment of the Confederate Army raided the area before staging his infamous raid across Indiana and Ohio.

ChaptersFortificationPost Civil WarNew campAir Corps useProtection of America's founding documentsMechanized military unit occupation1947 Universal Military Training Experimental Unit1993 shooting

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Fort Knox, 1874 to 1967

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 19th century
  2. 1874Post officeThe Stithton post office opens
  3. 20th century
  4. 1918
    FoundingFort Knox is established
  5. 1925Post officeThe Stithton post office closes
  6. 1930In the archiveAir view, Fort Knox, Ky (69812)
  7. 1932Post officeThe Fort Knox post office opens
  8. 1935Born hereThomas Amlong is born here
  9. 1936BuiltUS Bullion Depository, Fort Knox, Kentucky is built
  10. 1936On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  11. 1942In the archiveFort Knox, KY LST Building in WWII
  12. 1953Born hereBecky Ann Baker is born here
  13. 1963Born hereSuzan-Lori Parks is born here
  14. 1967Born hereRandolph Bresnik is born here
On the map

Fort Knox on the map, 1936 to 1991

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Fort Knox. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Fort Knox on the 1936 USGS mapFort Knox on the 1946 USGS mapFort Knox on the 1950 USGS mapFort Knox on the 1960 USGS mapFort Knox on the 1991 USGS map1936Vine Grove sheet · 1:62,500

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Fort Knox.

Then & now

Stand where they stood

No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.

Air view, Fort Knox, Ky (69812)
Retake this viewAir view, Fort Knox, Ky (69812), c. 1930

Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Fort Knox’s page.

Retake this view · +15
On the National Register

1 historic place in Fort Knox

The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.

place listed
1
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
1
each building in a district counts
first listed
1988
US Bullion Depository, Fort Knox, Kentucky
US Bullion Depository, Fort Knox, Kentucky, built 1936
Buildings

Architectural styles listings

Classical Revival1
US Bullion Depository, Fort Knox, KentuckyClassical Revival · Built 1936

National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.

Help out

Finish Fort Knox’s story

Most archives stop around 1920. The photos from after that are in family albums, not libraries.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
2 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Retake an old viewAir view, Fort Knox, Ky (69812): stand where they stood+15Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

Radcliff1 historic placeD

Questions about Fort Knox’s history

What year was Fort Knox founded?

In 1918, according to Wikidata. Fort Knox’s post office opened in 1874.

How does Fort Knox rank for history?

Fort Knox is more historic than 20% of U.S. towns, #117 of 142 in Kentucky. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.

What is on the National Register in Fort Knox?

One place: the US Bullion Depository, Fort Knox, Kentucky (listed 1988).

How old are the homes in Fort Knox?

8% of Fort Knox’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±2.0 points), against a typical 5.9% for a Kentucky town; the median home was built in 1976.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

From Wikimedia Commons (5), the Library of Congress (18), the National Register of Historic Places (1), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.