Alliance is a city in and the

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...

of Box Butte County, in the western part of the state of

Nebraska Nebraska ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Ka ...

, in the

Great Plains The Great Plains is a broad expanse of plain, flatland in North America. The region stretches east of the Rocky Mountains, much of it covered in prairie, steppe, and grassland. They are the western part of the Interior Plains, which include th ...

region of the United States. Its population was 8,151 at the 2020 census. Alliance is home to

Carhenge Carhenge is a replica of England's Stonehenge located near the city of Alliance, Nebraska, in the High Plains (United States), High Plains region of the United States. Instead of being built with large standing stones, as is the case with the or ...

, a replica of

Stonehenge Stonehenge is a prehistoric Megalith, megalithic structure on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, England, west of Amesbury. It consists of an outer ring of vertical sarsen standing stones, each around high, wide, and weighing around 25 tons, to ...

constructed with automobiles, which is located north of the city. It is also the location of Alliance Municipal Airport, which in 2021 was the least-used airport in the mainland United States.

History

The town was originally named Grand Lake. When the

Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad The Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad was a railroad that operated in the Midwest, Midwestern United States. Commonly referred to as the Burlington Route, the Burlington, CB&Q, or as the Q, it operated extensive trackage in the states of ...

came to Grand Lake in 1888, the railroad superintendent, G.W. Holdrege, wanted to change it to a simple one-word name closer to the beginning of the alphabet, which he thought would be better for business. The U.S. Post Office gave Holdrege permission, and he picked "Alliance" for the new name of the town. Alliance was incorporated as a city in 1891. The Alliance Army Airfield was established in 1942. Construction was completed in August 1943 and the Army Air Corps used the facility as a training base until the end of

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. The facility was transferred from the federal government to the City of Alliance in 1953 and is currently in use as the Alliance Municipal Airport. In the

Lakota language Lakota ( ), also referred to as Lakhota, Teton or Teton Sioux, is a Siouan languages, Siouan language spoken by the Lakota people of the Sioux tribes. Lakota is mutually intelligible with the two dialects of the Dakota language, especially Dakot ...

, Alliance is known as ', meaning "Sand River Bend".

Geography

Alliance is located at the western edge of Nebraska's Sand Hills. According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water.

Climate

Located in the High Plains, Alliance's climate is rather typical of the surrounding region. Under the

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...

, the town features a ''BSk'' climate, commonly described as a " Cold Steppe", with winters just below the threshold needed to be classified as a Continental climate, if it had enough precipitation to not be arid or semi-arid. The all-time record high for Alliance is , set in 1983, and the all-time record low is , set in 1989. Precipitation is significantly higher in summer than in winter, with the wettest month being June, and the driest month being January.

Demographics

2020 census

The 2020 United States census counted 8,151 people, 3,445 households, and 2,173 families in Alliance. The population density was 1,666.9 per square mile (642.8/km). There were 4,036 housing units at an average density of 825.4 per square mile (318.3/km). The racial makeup was 80.75% (6,582)

white White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 0.76% (62) black or African-American, 4.17% (340) Native American, 0.82% (67) Asian, 0.06% (5)

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

, 4.72% (385) from other races, and 8.71% (710) from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race was 15.0% (1,286) of the population. Of the 3,445 households, 29.9% had children under the age of 18; 49.7% were married couples living together; 24.7% had a female householder with no husband present. 33.8% of households consisted of individuals and 16.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.3 and the average family size was 2.9. 25.9% of the population was under the age of 18, 5.9% from 18 to 24, 27.2% from 25 to 44, 24.5% from 45 to 64, and 16.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38.4 years. For every 100 females, the population had 102.3 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older, there were 95.3 males. The 2016-2020 5-year

American Community Survey The American Community Survey (ACS) is an annual demographics survey program conducted by the United States Census Bureau. It regularly gathers information previously contained only in the long form of the United States census, decennial census ...

estimates show that the median household income was $57,898 (with a margin of error of +/- $14,867) and the median family income $83,969 (+/- $16,048). Males had a median income of $42,001 (+/- $8,679) versus $26,975 (+/- $5,462) for females. The median income for those above 16 years old was $34,457 (+/- $4,215). Approximately, 9.6% of families and 13.3% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 9.4% of those under the age of 18 and 13.1% of those ages 65 or over.

2010 census

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2010, there were 8,491 people, 3,559 households, and 2,276 families living in the city. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...

was . There were 4,075 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 87.5%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 0.5%

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 4.6% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 4.2% from other races, and 2.9% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 12.3% of the population. There were 3,559 households, of which 31.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.3% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 36.0% were non-families. 32.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.96. The median age in the city was 39.8 years. 25.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.2% were from 25 to 44; 29.2% were from 45 to 64; and 14.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.4% male and 51.6% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 8,959 people, 3,565 households, and 2,392 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 4,062 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 89.09%

, 0.49%

, 3.40% Native American, 0.60% Asian, 0.01%

, 4.31% from other races, and 2.09% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 8.94% of the population. There were 3,565 households, out of which 36.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.8% were

living together, 9.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.9% were non-families. 29.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.06. In the city, the population was spread out, with 28.1% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 27.1% from 25 to 44, 22.4% from 45 to 64, and 14.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.8 males. As of 2000 the median income for a household in the city was $39,408, and the median income for a family was $47,766. Males had a median income of $39,122 versus $22,561 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the city was $18,584. About 10.6% of families and 11.2% of the population were below the

, including 15.1% of those under age 18 and 9.9% of those age 65 or over.

Arts and culture

Among the city's attractions is

, an assemblage of thirty-eight vehicles built in the model of

by Jim Reinders and thirty-five family members in the summer of 1987. The sculpture was constructed on the farm of Reinders's late father just north of Alliance. Other works have been built in the surrounding area of the sculpture.

Education

Alliance Public Schools operates five schools: Early Childhood Center (birth to age 5), Emerson Elementary (kindergarten through grade 2), Grandview Elementary (grades 3–5), Alliance Middle School (grades 6–8), and Alliance High School (grades 9–12). St. Agnes Academy is the local

parochial school A parochial school is a private school, private Primary school, primary or secondary school affiliated with a religious organization, and whose curriculum includes general religious education in addition to secular subjects, such as science, mathem ...

, in association with Holy Rosary and St. Bridget Catholic Churches. St. Agnes is located within a historic building designed by noted architect William L. Steele.

Infrastructure

Transportation

Airport

Alliance is served by the Alliance Municipal Airport, three miles southeast of the city, which it owns. In the 12 months ending in January 2021, the airport received 2,882 passengers, or an average of just 8 per day, making it the least-used airport in the mainland United States.

Railway

The BNSF railway line from the northern exit of the Powder River Basin, one of the largest coal-mining areas of the world, to Alliance and the

eastern United States The Eastern United States, often abbreviated as simply the East, is a macroregion of the United States located to the east of the Mississippi River. It includes 17–26 states and Washington, D.C., the national capital. As of 2011, the Eastern ...

, sees a rather large number of coal trains every day, to power plants in the

Midwest The Midwestern United States (also referred to as the Midwest, the Heartland or the American Midwest) is one of the four census regions defined by the United States Census Bureau. It occupies the northern central part of the United States. It ...

and South. In the southern areas of Alliance there is a large train yard which hosts many of these coal trains.

Notable people

* Jimmy Abegg, visual artist, member of Rich Mullins' A Ragamuffin Band and

Vector Vector most often refers to: * Euclidean vector, a quantity with a magnitude and a direction * Disease vector, an agent that carries and transmits an infectious pathogen into another living organism Vector may also refer to: Mathematics a ...

* Moon Bloodgood, actress/model, born in Alliance * David Bunnell, publisher, writer *

Helen Duhamel Helen S. Duhamel (November 26, 1904 – November 8, 1991) was an American businesswoman and broadcaster. She was best known for saving the Duhamel Company from bankruptcy and establishing a cluster of radio and television stations in western Sout ...

, businesswoman and broadcaster, attended St. Agnes Academy in Alliance * James Emanuel, poet and critic * Jordan Hooper, basketball player for WNBA's Chicago Sky; born in Alliance * LeRoy J. Louden, Nebraska legislator * Luke Redfield, singer/songwriter, spent a portion of his youth in Alliance * Peary Rader, American

bodybuilder Bodybuilding is the practice of progressive resistance exercise to build, control, and develop one's muscles via hypertrophy. An individual who engages in this activity is referred to as a bodybuilder. It is primarily undertaken for aesthetic ...

and magazine publisher from

. He was the founding publisher of ''

Iron Man Iron Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Co-created by writer and editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby, the character first appearan ...

'' from 1936 to 1986. Died in Alliance. *

Tim Walz Timothy James Walz (; born April 6, 1964) is an American politician who has served since 2019 as the 41st governor of Minnesota. He was the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic nominee for Vice President of the United States, vice pre ...

, 2024 vice presidential candidate, governor of Minnesota, U.S. House of Representatives member, Alliance high school football coach and geography teacher. * Tony Wilbrand, American basketball player

References

External links

City of Alliance

Alliance Chamber of Commerce
{{Authority control Cities in Box Butte County, Nebraska Cities in Nebraska County seats in Nebraska