Dubois Features National Military Vehicles Museum
Located in Dubois, Wyoming, The National Museum of Military Vehicles is home to over 450 fully restored military vehicles. Through the expansive 146,000 square foot facility, visitors experience the American side of World War II through the unique storytelling of the fully restored military vehicles. The museum in its entirety will open Memorial Day weekend with the addition of two other exhibits showcasing, the Korean War and the Vietnam War.
The National Museum of Military Vehicles has been recognized as one of the ten best new attractions in the United States. The genius behind this vision is Dan Starks though he never thought that his simple wish would turn into what it is today. Starks wanted to be able to drive a military vehicle in the annual Dubois 4th of July parade. Starks purchased a Sherman Tank but the tank needed a lot of work and the restoration process would take too long before it could be driven in the parade. This led to Starks purchasing another tank that could be restored faster and it quickly escalated to the largest private collection of military vehicles in the world.
After an impressive career in the medical device business, Starks and his wife decided to retire. They landed on Western Wyoming after researching the Rocky Mountains and finding the freedom and open spaces idyllic. The wildlife and privacy of Wyoming sealed the deal for Starks and his wife, and they started on their own little getaway with a parcel of land outside of Dubois.
Beginning their new journey in Wyoming, the Starks’ quickly adapted to the western way of life. It started with a love of horses and they built an indoor riding arena to enjoy their horses year-round. The next step was starting a cattle ranch and adding 250 black Angus cattle to their land. Then in true Wyoming fashion, the Starks’ added an American Bison ranch, solidifying their western way of life. It is clear that the Starks family does not do anything on a small scale.
A unique feature that Starks added to support the museum is a restoration shop located in the town of Dubois. The 47,000 square foot shop employs five full time mechanics and allows for more of the restoration process to be done right in Fremont County. The shop also offers mentorships to youth that might be interested in mechanics and restoration.
Starks states that they are working on doubling the size of the museum with the additions of both Naval and Air exhibits from World War II within the next 14 months. The plan is to also include the history of the Cold War, Lebanon and Grenada, the two Gulf wars, the global war on terrorism, and American freedom.
Starks never intended on having this massive of a collection, but he feels that it is so important that Americans remember where we came from and to not lose the memories of the sacrifices that made this country what it is today. Starks enjoys that people from all over come to learn about the human stories of the past.
What first started as a desire to drive a tank in a parade, is now a stunning tribute to American history that will be preserved for future generations.
If you go:
The museum is open from 10 a.m.- 5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. Tickets are $15 per person for adults and Seniors, or $10 for youth under 18. Museum admission is free to those who are active duty military or veterans.
For More information, go to: https://www.nmmv.org/
