In 1917, the United States Army purchased of land about seven miles (11 km) north of Savanna to construct the Savanna Army Depot. Originally the land was to be used as a test range for munitions produced at the Rock Island Arsenal in Rock Island, Illinois. In 1921, the mission of the installation was changed to be a depot./. From World War II through Vietnam, Savanna Army Depot served as a munitions maintenance and storage facility for traditional, chemical, and nuclear weapons.