A Rich, Colorful History

The city of Alliance is rich with
history and traditions. It is believed
the Alliance area was occupied
by the Hopewell Native Americans more
than several thousand years ago. The
Hopewells were mound builders and relied
on agriculture as its means of survival.
Hopewell mounds have been discovered
along the banks of the Mahoning River.
THE NAMING OF ALLIANCE
Born from the merging of three tiny
communities, the city of Alliance was
founded in 1889.
In 1827, William Teeters founded the
area's first community, Williamsport. The
former area of Williamsport was north of
the Mahoning River and now comprises the
northern tip of Alliance.
Eleven years later, Mathias Hester founded the second
community, Freedom in a area that is associated with central
Alliance. Freedom was bounded to the north by Vine Street, to the
east by Walnut Avenue, to the south by Wayne Street and to the
west by Union Avenue.
In 1850, Liberty, the third community, was founded between
Mechanic Ave. and Front Street, along with what is now known as
East Main Street. The community of Liberty developed around two
railroads, Cleveland & Wellsville and Ohio & Pennsylvania, which
arrived shortly after in 1851 and 1852, respectively.
Alliance was incorporated as a city in 1889 and two years later,
Mount Union Village, which was founded in 1824, was annexed into
Alliance.
A LONG HISTORY
Through the years, many notable individuals have passed
through Alliance including Abraham Lincoln, who visited the city just
before his inauguration. In 1847, Civil War generals Grant, Sherman
and Sheridan stopped at the former Sourbeck Dining Hall at the
Union Depot Station.
Former President William McKinley made his first political
speech at Henry Martin's wagon stop in Mount Union during his
presidential campaign for prosecuting attorney. James A. Garfield,
the 20th president, frequently spoke at the old College Hall at
Mount Union College.
The oldest building in Alliance is the Rockhill Home, built in
1817. It is located north of Wayne Avenue and west of North Lincoln
Avenue.
The Haines House, at the corner of Market and Haines, was
an integral part of the underground railroad. Monument Square,
located in downtown Alliance in front of the police station, has paid
tribute to many former war veterans.
CARNATION CITY
Ohio's state flower, the scarlet carnation, was rooted in Alliance
in 1886 when local politician and green thumb Dr. Levin 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 stock
rose, he spoke of the scarlet carnation as a good-luck charm. When
he became elected president, he began wearing one at all times
and presenting flowers from a bouquet on his desk to guests.
On Sept. 14, 1901, McKinley was assassinated moments after
removing the flower from his lapel and giving it to a young admirer
at the Buffalo Exposition. Following years of lobbying by Lamborn,
the Ohio General Assembly passed a joint resolution naming the
scarlet carnation the state flower on Feb. 3, 1904.
On April 8, 1959, the Ohio Legislature recognized Alliance as the
"Carnation City."