Fort Knox | |
---|---|
Kentucky | |
Location of Fort Knox in Kentucky
|
|
Coordinates | 37°53′34″N 85°58′29″W / 37.8928°N 85.9747°W |
Type | Military Base |
Site information | |
Controlled by | 1861–1865: Contested 1865–present: United States |
Site history | |
Built | 1918 |
In use | 1861–1865: Civil War 1865–1903: Settlement 1903–1918: Training Grounds 1918–1925: Camp Knox 1925–1928: National Forest 1928–1931: Camp Knox 1932–present: Fort Knox |
Garrison information | |
Current commander |
MG Christopher P. Hughes |
Fort Knox is a United States Army post in Kentucky south of Louisville and north of Elizabethtown. The 109,000 acre (170 sq mi, 441 km²) base covers parts of Bullitt, Hardin, and Meade counties. It currently holds the Army Human Resources Center of Excellence to include the Army Human Resources Command, United States Army Cadet Command and the United States Army Accessions Command. For 60 years, Fort Knox was the home of the U.S. Army Armor Center and the U.S. Army Armor School (now moved to Fort Benning), and was used by both the Army and the Marine Corps to train crews on the M1 Abrams main battle tank. The history of the U.S. Army's Cavalry and Armored forces, and of General George S. Patton's career, can be found at the General George Patton Museum on the grounds of Fort Knox.
The fort is best known as the site of the United States Bullion Depository, which is used to house a large portion of the United States' official gold reserves.
The United States Department of the Treasury has maintained the Bullion Depository on the post since 1937.
This facility is operated solely by the Treasury Department.
Parts of the base in Hardin and Meade counties form a census-designated place (CDP), which had a population of 12,377 at the 2000 census and 10,124 at the 2010 census.