Once known as the Carnation City, Alliance is now making its name as a haven for troll doll lovers and cat fanciers. Home to more than 21,000 residents, this town is close to bigger cities such as Canton and Akron while supporting a unique, small-town culture of its own. In October of 2023, business owners and the historical society combined forces, launching a grassroots campaign to bring the downtown to its full potential. They are working with Heritage Ohio to revitalize the main streets and attempt to preserve and promote Alliance.
There is a wide array of architectural styles found in Alliance.
The Troll Hole museum holds The Guinness World Record for the largest collection of trolls.
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Historic homes in Alliance
The median home sale price is $160,000, less than half of the national median. The downtown area has retained a traditional Americana feel, with Foursquares and Colonial Revivals lining the historic streets on neat, compact lots. Toward the outskirts of town, ranch-style homes sit on sprawling lawns. In Minerva , about 13 miles south on Ohio Route 183, homes are lower priced still. And in the broader region of Mahoning County , east of the city, a wider range of home options exist, from $1.2 million golf course homes to homes around $200,000. Major industries include manufacturing, healthcare and retail trade.
Ranch style home with a tidy lawn in Alliance.
Colonial style homes stand out in Alliance.
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The Carnation City Festival
Alliance holds an annual Carnation City Festival to celebrate Levi Lamborn’s scarlet carnation, which brought fame to Alliance as a staple of President William McKinley's lapel. Today, the festival lasts over a week each summer and includes a parade, auto show and pageant to determine the new “Carnation Queen.” On the southwest corner of town, Beech Creek Botanical Garden & Nature Preserve hosts light exhibits in the winter months.
The Cat Fanciers’ Association operates a Feline Historical Museum, and Sherry Groom has a museum to showcase her Guinness World Records-holding collection of troll dolls and memorabilia.
Pizza joints and a nonprofit grocery store
Restaurants line State Street and South Union Avenue, with pizza parlors particularly popular. Groom, the owner of the Troll Hole Museum, serves waffles and troll-themed drinks at her café, the Grumpy Troll Coffee. In downtown, StarkFresh Grocery Store, a nonprofit, provides locally grown produce and local meats at “break-even” prices, says Douglas Colmery, StarkFresh’s development director. “Customers who receive SNAP benefits can get half price on produce, and we always try to have free bread available,” he adds. Vintage shoppers can browse antique stores and boutiques along Main Street. There are also a variety of big-box national chains on the western end of State Street.
Grab a bite to eat with friends at one of many places in Alliance.
Walmart in Alliance offers thousands of quality food and household products.
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Pickleball and mini golf
Alliance residents have access to 24 city parks. The largest, Silver Park, has two playgrounds, six pickleball courts, catch-and-release fishing and event spaces. Budding BMX riders can practice their jumps at Memorial Park, which is also home to a skate park. Butler Rodman Park has a free miniature golf course for locals to enjoy, and in the summer, the Robertson Community Pool offers memberships or pay-as-you-go swimming. In all, the Alliance Parks Department maintains 220 acres of public land.
Butler Rodman Park swings in Alliance, Ohio.
Kids of all ages love the skate park at Memorial Park in Alliance, Ohio.
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Aviators hit the books
The Alliance City School District scores a B-minus on Niche. Its 3,000 students are split between three elementary schools, one middle and one high school.
School teams, along with the students themselves, are called the “Aviators” in honor of Charles Lindbergh's 1927 flight over Alliance and the Taylorcraft airplanes once manufactured here.
Alliance is also home to the University of Mount Union, a private liberal arts school founded in 1846 that serves about 2,000 undergraduates and graduate students.
Alliance Middle School building in Alliance.
Spend a Friday night watching the Aviators Varsity Football after enjoying dinner downtown.
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Planes, trains and buses
Intersected by U.S. Route 62 and Ohio Route 183, Alliance has a direct route to Akron 37 miles northwest. The Stark Area Regional Transit Authority (SARTA) provides public transportation Monday through Saturday, with convenient stops near the Aultman Alliance Community Hospital. Amtrak serves the city on a route that runs from Chicago to Florida, through Washington DC. The nearest airport is the Akron-Canton Airport, 20 miles west.
Crime and climate
Alliance's summers are typically warm and humid and its winters cold and often snowy. Ohio in general is at a greater risk for severe storms and tornados than the nation in general. Flood risks are considered low, though the headwaters of the Mahoning River are near the city.
According to FBI data, the rates of reported violent crime and property crime in Alliance are lower than Ohio average and national averages.
Born and raised in the country and graduated college with an MBA & Bachelor's Degree in Business Management and Electrical Engineering. Brian devotes his time to land management and quality QDMA, based around real estate and managing properties. Brokering a team of licensed real estate professionals, he works to ensure a quality transaction every time and to build relationship for life. He truly believes every transaction is important no matter how big or how small, true dedication to the client is number one. Let Brian and his team work hard for you, setting the bar high and leading you in a simple and very smooth transaction every time. He has all the resources for all things associated with the real estate process from beginning to end.
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