In the year 1900, Dr. J.H. Tressel, the Reverend H.E. Kilmer of the Immanuel Reformed Church of Alliance and others joined together to form the Reformed Deaconess Home and Hospital Association with the purpose of forming a hospital. That same year, the new hospital association took possession of the Whitacre house, which was located on the corner of Arch and College Streets in Alliance. The Whitacre house consisted of 20 beds with cornhusk mattresses with rooms for nurses and housekeepers. The Deaconess Home (later to be called Alliance Community Hospital) was only the second hospital in Stark County, Ohio.
Whitacre House in 1902
Alliance City Hospital in 1917
Alliance City Hospital in 1950
Alliance Community Hospital in 1997
Alliance Community Hospital TodayThe Deaconess Home struggled during the early years with poor facilities and debts. With this in mind, it was decided in 1912 to change the name of the Deaconess Home and Hospital Association to the Alliance City Hospital Association. Ownership and administration of the Hospital became the responsibility of the City of Alliance in 1914. Soon after, plans were made for the funding and construction of a new hospital, which was completed in 1917. The Alliance City Hospital continued to grow and become an integral part of the City of Alliance.
Control and governance of the Hospital transferred from the city to a trusteeship system in 1946. The next major expansion occurred in 1953 with a 105 bed addition to the east. The six-floor addition included expanded cafeteria facilities, a gift shop, an expanded emergency center, more patient rooms, a patient solarium on every floor and expanded surgery capability.
Work on a 54,000 square-foot addition began in 1974 and was completed in 1976. The new addition housed waiting and admitting areas, a snack shop, laboratories and various outpatient services. The addition project also moved the Emergency Department entrance to East College Street where it remained until 1997. The 1980's saw the completion of the 1974 project, with the construction of three floors on top of the 1974 building and remodeling of other sections. This project provided a new surgery unit, a new OB unit and a new critical care unit.
The Hospital changed its name for a third time in 1986, becoming Alliance Community Hospital to better reflect the community nature of the Hospital's mission. The last major addition was a 10,000 square-foot expansion of the Emergency Department completed in 1997. As Alliance Community Hospital enters its second century of service to the people of Alliance and surrounding communities, we build upon our past service and will continue our tradition of excellent patient care.
