The Russell Military Museum is a military museum located in Zion, Illinois.
History
Background
Mark Sonday began collecting surplus military equipment as a child at Navy Pier in Chicago. In 1980, he purchased 11 former American tanks from Israel. He also joined a group of collectors which provided for movies such as First Blood, Courage Under Fire and Saving Private Ryan.[1][2]
Establishment in Pleasant Prairie
The Kenosha Military Museum was founded by Sonday in 1986 and opened in 1989 in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin.[3][4] However, ten years after its establishment, the museum was being criticized for the poor condition of its collection. It announced plans for a new building and requested a corresponding zoning change for the property.[1] The change failed to pass a vote, due to the petitions of the adjacent property owners. The museum then filed a lawsuit against the county.[5] In 2002, the county used eminent domain to reclaim the land on which it sat.[6]
Move to Zion
A settlement was reached in 2006, in which the museum received a $3.9 million payment, but was forced to vacate the property. It moved across the state line to a new site with a
15,000 sq ft (1,400 m2) building in Zion, Illinois where it became the Russell Military Museum.[7]
