First National Bank Building

The 1914 Renaissance Revival six-story bank building was designed by Canton architect Lewis W. Thomas and constructed by Cleveland builder George B. McMillan Co. A 1923 three-story wing to the rear was designed by Cleveland architects Walker & Weeks. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Alliance Bank Company was founded in Alliance in 1872 as a state bank, and was located at 508 East Main Street, just east of this building. Its early directors and officers included prominent Alliance business figure such as W. H. Ramsey, I. G. Tollerton, C. C. Baker, Frank Transue and George Reeves.

Their new six story bank and office building was a part of an apparent Alliance competition to build “Sky-Scrapers” on Main Street according The Alliance Review of 12-20-1906. That month, Allott-Kryder Hardware announced it would build a six-story facility, and it was followed two days later by neighbor Katzenstein Carpets announcing a similar plan. Allott-Kryder, a decades-long fixture on the Square, was responding to the new Alliance Hardware and it’s six-story Ramsey Building just being completed further west on the north side of Main, which was passing the just constructed Cassaday and Crist blocks there in the 300 block.

The bank’s grand opening was held on January 16, 1915 where over 8,000 carnations were distributed during a four-hour open house.

Through the years, the bank’s name would change to the First National Bank of Alliance, Central Trust and eventually Chase Bank before leaving Downtown. In 1995, it was listed on the National Register and received funding for renovation to create city offices in the basement and on the first and second floors, and apartments on the remaining four floors.

Judith B. Williams (July 28, 1995). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Alliance Bank Building" (pdf). National Park Service. Accessed 2024/04/11/at https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_OH/95000940.pdf

Alliance Bank articles published on 1914-05-12, 1915-01-09, 1915-01-19, and 1915-01-21. The Alliance Review, Review Publishing Co., Alliance Ohio. Via http://www.ohiomemory.org