Friends of Fort Knox prepares for 34th season
Fort Knox and Penobscot Narrows Observatory will open for the season May 1
The Friends of Fort Knox anticipate approximately 100,000 guests annually. Photo by Emily Baer.
April 29, 2026
By Emily Baer
PROSPECT—Dean Martin is a busy man. As executive director of the Friends of Fort Knox, a position he has held for the last eight years, Martin oversees nearly every aspect of Fort Knox State Park and Observatory. The work is constant and wide-ranging: From maintenance and event planning to public relations and guided tours, fundraising, staff oversight, and more.
Martin’s wife, Sherry, manages much of the park’s administrative work, including retail operations in the gift shop.
The Friends of Fort Knox, a nonprofit now in its 34th year, expanded its leadership structure this spring and brought on an assistant director to help handle the growing demands of daily operations. Annual visitation has stabilized at around 100,000 guests in recent years, Martin said.
“This place has reached a point where it really takes a team,” Martin said. “For a long time, I was handling most [operational activities] myself and it made it difficult to focus on the bigger-picture mission.”
New assistant director Kevin Schurman joined Martin’s team in March, just in time to start preparing for the summer season. “It’s wonderful to have Kevin here,” Martin said. “I think we can get to a point where everything we do is more sustainable.”
With the addition of an assistant director and expanded operational support, Martin’s role is shifting away from day-to-day operations toward a greater focus on long-term preservation, project management, and the fort’s broader mission.
That mission—preserving the historic site for future generations—remains at the core of the organization’s work. But maintaining a large, historic structure comes with constant and often costly upkeep. From masonry repointing projects that can run $20,000 to $30,000, to larger restoration efforts nearing $100,000, the needs are ongoing, Martin said.
New leadership and expanded capacity
Schurman began his career working alongside his father in historical restoration carpentry, spending a decade honing traditional building skills. He later transitioned into corporate food service, traveling the country as a director of operations—a role he described as ultimately unfulfilling. Drawn back to hands-on work, he returned to restoration and joined Sanborn Mills Farm in New Hampshire, where he spent 10 years helping transform the pre-Revolutionary War property into a 2,500-acre educational campus focused on early American crafts and trades.
After completing that project, he began looking for a more community-centered opportunity. He found it at the fort.
“It absolutely feels like the right place,” he said of Fort Knox, noting the organization’s mission and strong local support. Since arriving, he has been struck by the widespread sense of ownership people feel toward the site.
“Everyone seems to have a connection to the fort here,” he said. “It’s a whole community and a shared enthusiasm. That's pretty rare.”
The Friends of Fort Knox operate both the park and the observatory. Both open to the public on May 1. Photo by Emily Baer.
Looking ahead to the summer season, Schurman is especially excited about the living history encampments, which bring together reenactors and history enthusiasts from across the region.
Preparing for a busy summer at the fort
As the fort prepares to open for the season on May 1, Martin said the organization is entering the year in a strong position.
On April 28, the team welcomed dozens of volunteers for the annual spring clean-up, preparing the grounds for opening day. The event coincided with a gathering of medieval reenactors who had rented the site to select a new king and queen.
For Schurman, the coinciding events were a perfect illustration of what makes Fort Knox so special. “It’s incredible to see people find each other through these shared interests and events,” he said. “There’s a real enthusiasm for what's happening at the fort. It's something you don’t come across every day.”
Despite being one of the most visited state parks in Maine, the fort does not receive direct operating funds from the state. Instead, it functions through a partnership model. Revenue generated at the gate and through the gift shop is divided between operations, capital improvements, and contributions to the state park system.
This year, the park announced its first fee increase in six years. Photo by Emily Baer.
“When people come here, they’re doing three things,” Martin said. “They’re helping us maintain the fort, supporting long-term preservation projects, and contributing to the broader state park system.”
This year, the organization implemented its first fee increase since 2019, including a 50-cent increase for elevator tickets to the observatory that rises 420 feet above the Penobscot River. Tickets for Mainers are $6, or $9 for those who want to also go to the top of the observatory. Maine seniors may visit the fort for free, and may purchase observatory tickets for $3. Tickets for non-residents are $8 for the fort, plus another $3 for the observatory. The fort’s website lists the full range of ticket prices.
Even with the adjustment, Martin emphasized the importance of keeping the site accessible. “We want families to be able to come and enjoy the park,” he said. Maine seniors and young children will continue to receive free admission.
In addition to preservation work, the fort operates as a busy community hub. The site hosts weddings, school visits, bus tours, and events ranging from Civil War reenactments to family camping nights and themed weekends, Martin said. Organizing those events—many of which could constitute a full-time job on their own—is a shared effort.
As the new season begins, Martin is hopeful that steady interest, expanded staff capacity, and continued community support will sustain the fort’s operations and its long-term preservation goals.
“This place exists because people care about it,” Martin said. “And that hasn’t changed.”
