Russell Military Museum
Russell Military Museum is located in Illinois
Russell Military Museum
Location within Illinois
Former name
Kenosha Military Museum
Established1986 (1986)
LocationZion, Illinois
Coordinates42°29′31″N 87°57′04″W / 42.492°N 87.951°W / 42.492; -87.951
TypeMilitary museum
FounderMark Sonday
Websitewww.russellmilitarymuseum.com

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 – being compared to a junk yard. 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]

Collection

Aircraft

Bell AH-1 Cobra

Ground vehicles

M4 Sherman
Cadillac Peacekeeper

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Verstraete, Christine A. (28 April 1996). "A Farewell to Arms?". Chicago Tribune. pp. 1–2. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
  2. ↑ Golub, Rob (15 April 2006). "The Man with the Munitions: Mark Sonday Operates Kenosha Military Museum". The Reporter. p. A6. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
  3. ↑ Deffenbaugh, Carl (28 May 2018). "'See it with your own eyes:' Military museum offers everything from cannonballs to F-15 fighter jets". FOX 6 Milwaukee. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
  4. ↑ Passino, Brian (24 May 2016). "Snapshot: Military museum has the hardware". Kenosha News. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
  5. ↑ Jensen, Arlene (20 February 1998). "Sonday's Lawsuit Not Dismissed". Kenosha News. p. D1. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
  6. ↑ Dobberstein, John (3 October 2007). "Military Museum Rises After Fight". Chicago Tribune. p. 3. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
  7. ↑ Gibbard, Dan (22 August 2006). "Idled War Gear Goes on the March Again". Chicago Tribune. pp. 1, 4. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 "Russell Military Museum". Exhibits. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
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