Alliance (Nebraska)

Box Butte County

31-00905

Alliance ( also Grand Lake ) is the county seat of Box Butte County in the U.S. state of Nebraska.

History

Alliance was founded on 1888 in the Sandhills in the newly created Box Butte County. As part of the land by the small town of " Grand Lake " was founded in 1887, but, as the " Burlington and Missouri River Railroad " a year later reached the region was renamed " Alliance". Here, since the beginning of livestock was an important factor, was 1889, the Nebraska Stock Growers Association, inter alia Counteract problems with cattle theft. The city grew rapidly. Just two years after its establishment, it had 890 inhabitants. Although three fires 1892-1893 destroyed parts of the city, the population increased to over 2,200 in 1896. Response to the fire, the fire department was founded and built a water tower and a brick factory. In the election to the county seat to Alliance won against Hemingford in 1899. From 21 June to 5 July 1899, the Box Butte County Courthouse was moved by rail from Hemingford to Alliance. Although the Homestead Act of 1862 originally any " homesteader " had been awarded to only 160 acres of land, this number was increased to 640 acres in 1904 in the so -called Kincaid Act. This decision was made because the number of farmers in the region decreased due to the rural poor to tilling area. The measure takes effect. The population continued to rise to 6,000 in 1920. From the Great Depression largely spared the city from the New Deal could benefit. It originated in the 30s of the 20th century a new water tower, a power station and irrigation systems for the surrounding farmland. 1942 was the " Alliance Air Base ", as the Alliance Municipal Airport passed into the possession of the city in 1953. The next few decades are marked by a slow but steady industrial growth. In particular, the Burlington Northern Railroad was expanded.

Demography

According to census of 2000, Alliance has 8,959 inhabitants, of whom 4,352 men and 4,567 women.

Sons and daughters of the town

• James Emanuel (1921-2013), university lecturer, essayist and poet

Sight

• In the vicinity there is Carhenge. Since 2006, a visitor center exists.