History of Alliance
The City of Alliance is located in northeast Ohio in Stark County. Alliance is situated in the northeast corner of the county, approximately 20 miles from the county seat of Canton, Ohio. The population of Alliance is approximately 24,000.
Alliance was formed in 1850 by the merger of three small settlements, Williamsport, Freedom, and Liberty. A fourth settlement, Mount Union, was added to the city in 1888. The name "Alliance" was chosen because of the "alliance" of the small settlements into a larger entity. It also reflected the soon to come junction of two major railroads of the time, the Ohio and Pennsylvania and the Cleveland and Wellsville.
Partly because of the railroads, Alliance quickly gained an industrial base, and the city was generally known as a railroad town. Several large industrial facilities located in Alliance, including Morgan Engineering. After many decades in the city, Morgan Engineering burned to the ground in August, 2001.
The selection of the Scarlet Carnation as Ohio's state flower is rooted in Alliance history. In 1886, local green thumb and politician, Dr. Levi Lamborn propagated the flower from French seedlings, calling it "Lamborn Red." Opposing William McKinley for the 18th Congressional District a year later, Lamborn presented the future president with a Lamborn Red boutonniere before each debate. As McKinley's political star rose, he spoke of the scarlet carnation as a good luck charm. When he became president, he began wearing one at all times and presenting flowers from a bouquet on his desk to guests.
On September 14, 1901, moments after removing the flower from his lapel and giving it to a young admirer at the Buffalo Exposition, McKinley was struck down by an assasin's bullet. Following years of lobbying by Lamborn, the Ohio General Assembly passed a joint resolution naming the scarlet carnation the state flower on February 3, 1904. On April 1, 1959, the Ohio Legislature recognized Alliance as the "Carnation City". The Greater Alliance Carnation Festival is a weeklong family event for every age level, filled with parades, food, and games to honor the Carnation City.
Mount Union College was founded in 1846 and is an important local, state, and national resource. Mount Union College is very highly rated academically and athletically, being the National Division Three football champions in '93, '96, '97, '98, 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2005. In 2006, the Purple Raider football team earned a record ninth Division III National Championship, after winning a 15th consecutive Ohio Athletic Conference Championship, and 18th overall. Please visit the Mount Union College website at www.muc.edu for more information.
The city offers a variety of incentives to those who wish to locate their business or industry in the city. With a new industrial park and many new businesses coming to our city, we look forward to a prosperous future. For information on the many incentives being offered to new business and industry, please call Vincent Marion, Director of Planning and Development, at 330-829-2265.
Mission Statement
The City of Alliance was founded in the year 1850. The function and purpose of the City of Alliance is to provide governmental services such as fire and police protection, water and sewer services, street maintenance and repair, parks and recreation, zoning and building functions, health services and all the other services which contribute to the health, safety and well-being of our citizens.
In order to fulfill this responsibility it is imperative that all of these services be performed in the most efficient manner possible so as to maximize the financial and personnel resources available.
Department Phone Numbers:
Auditor: 330-823-5900
Mayor: 330-821-3110
Planning and Development: 330-829-2235
Clerk of Courts: 330-823-6600
Engineering and Building: 330-823-5122
Fire Department: 330-821-1213
Health Department: 330-821-7373
Income Tax: 330-821-9190
Judge's Office: 330-823-6181
Law Director: 330-823-6610
Keep Alliance Beautiful: 330-823-3254
Parks: 330-821-2260
Police Department: 330-821-9140
Senior Center: 330-821-3348
Street Department: 330-823-3133
Wastewater Treatment: 330-829-2220
Water Treatment: 330-829-2241
Water Distribution: 330-823-5216
Water Billing: 330-823-3126
County Websites:
Auditor: www.auditor.co.stark.oh.us
Commissioners: www.commissioners.co.stark.oh.us
Clerk of Courts: www.starkclerk.org
Coroner: www.coroner.co.stark.oh.us
Court of Common Pleas: www.cpgendiv.co.stark.oh.us
Engineer: www.engineer.co.stark.oh.us
Family Court: www.cpdomjuvdiv.co.stark.oh.us
Ohio Court of Appeals: www.fifthdist.org
Probate Court: www.probate.co.stark.oh.us
Prosecutor: www.prosecutor.co.stark.oh.us
Recorder: www.recorder.co.stark.oh.us
Sheriff: www.sheriff.co.stark.oh.us
Treasurer: www.starktaxes.com
Department of Jobs and Family Services: www.djfs.co.stark.oh.us
