  Location within Illinois | |
Former name | Kenosha Military Museum |
|---|---|
| Established | 1986 |
| Location | Russell, Illinois |
| Coordinates | 42°29′31″N87°57′04″W / 42.492°N 87.951°W |
| Type | Military museum |
| Founder | Mark Sonday |
| Website | www |
The Russell Military Museum, originally begun as the Kenosha Military Museum is a military museum located in Russell, Illinois.
Mark Sonday began collecting surplus military equipment in the 1970s. [1] In 1980, he purchased 11 former American tanks from Israel. He also joined a group of collectors which provided props for movies such as First Blood , Courage Under Fire and Saving Private Ryan . [2] [3]
The Kenosha Military Museum opened in 1989 in the former town of Bristol, Wisconsin. [2] [4] Ten years after establishment, Sonday announced plans for a new building and requested a corresponding zoning change for the property. [2] 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, Kenosha County used eminent domain to reclaim the land on which it sat. [6]
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 Russell, Illinois [7] where it was renamed the Russell Military Museum. [8]
