Alliance is a city in eastern Stark County, Ohio, United States.

It was established in 1854 by the merger of three smaller communities and was a manufacturing and railroad hub for much of the 20th century.

The University of Mount Union, a private liberal arts college established in 1846, is located in Alliance.

Partially extending into Mahoning County, the city is part of the Canton–Massillon metropolitan area.

[7][8][9] On April 12, 1856, Alliance was directly struck by a tornado, causing extensive damage.

Alliance's Main Street was originally laid out to bring traffic to the train station, the heart of the city's transportation hub.

The railroads were central to industry and personal transportation, bringing in raw materials for factories and sending out finished goods.

[12] Alliance became a qualified Tree City USA as recognized by the National Arbor Day Foundation in 1982.

The name of Levi L. Lamborn, the man who cultivated the scarlet carnation, Ohio's state flower, can still be seen on the facade of a building in the old downtown district.

The historic downtown area is experiencing a gradual renaissance, with the opening of a Saturday Farmers' Market on Main Street near the historic Caboose, and the renovation of a storefront on Main Street as an art gallery and live performance space, joining a scattering of antique shops and other businesses.

The Cat Fanciers' Association relocated to the former Midland-Buckeye bank, at 260 East Main Street, in June 2011, opening the CFA Foundation's Feline Historical Museum, the first of its kind of the United States.

Alliance was also home to the World War History & Art Museum, located in College Plaza at 1300 East State Street.

[19] Alliance is commonly referred to as the Carnation City, having been given that designation by the Ohio General Assembly in 1959.

[20] Alliance gave Ohio its official state flower, the scarlet carnation.

Alliance is the city of license for PBS affiliate WNEO, channel 45, which has its studios and offices in Kent.

Alliance is also the city of license for radio stations WDJQ (92.5 FM) and WDPN (1310 AM).

The municipality is also served by the Stark Area Regional Transit Authority (SARTA) bus system.