Knight Museum Board - Alliance, Nebraska

Grand Lake village, a collection of tents and frame buildings, had mushroomed on land just east of the Lincoln Land Companys Section 36. The name Grand Lake was not suitable, because it may have been confused with Grand Island in mail and train orders. Besides, there was no grand lake. The village had first been named Bronco Lake for the nearest lake, 6 miles to the southwest, before it was changed to Grand Lake.

The Lincoln Land Co. sold the lots at this lot sale in Grand Lake, 1887.

The lines were long in 1904 to sign up for the Kincaid Act for 640-acre homesteads. Henry Clayton is walking in the foreground.

In 1898, Alliance had a population of over one hundred people. The caption on the back reads: Alliance 1898not a tree for 30 miles.

A Fourth of July parade in 1892 shows the area between Fifth and Seventh Streets on Box Butte Avenue. The building with the spire is Central School, and the wooden building sits where the courthouse is today.

Shown is a photo of Preston and Co. Livery and Feed. After having ones horse taken care of at the livery, a drink could be procured at the saloon next door!

Many residents were frequent patrons of the local livery and harness shops.

This local group is riding in a horse-drawn buggy on the main street of Alliance in November 1891. An early-day bicycle also is shown in the picture standing against the building.

A horse and buggy lineup sits in the west alley of the 400 block of Box Butte. Being a drayman was a popular occupation of the day. The Drake is shown to the right of the owl sign.

In 1890, this water well sat in the center of Box Butte Avenue and Wyoming Street. The local businesses in the background are the Bank of Alliance, the California Restaurant, Photographs, the Harness Shop, and Mercantile.

The Alliance National Bank, then known as the Bank of Alliance, remained after a disastrous fire. Major fires plagued Alliance until most major buildings were rebuilt from brick.

First and Box Butte housed the hotels due to its close proximity to the depot. Here we have Board and Lodging on the left and the Hila Grand Hotel, which was later the Alliance Hotel Annex. Both were welcome sites to the weary traveler on the many trains heading east and west through Alliances early years.

This is the Chicago Store, one of the earliest established businesses in Alliance. It was a general store, which meant that you could find a little of everything in it. Notice the suits hanging on each side of the front door. This photo was probably used in their advertisements.