Building and Paving Bricks were manufactured here for over 60 years

Alliance Clay Product Company - Alliance Pallet, Alliance Ohio

Date added: December 22, 2023 Categories: Ohio Industrial

The Alliance Clay Product Company was an important brick manufacturer from 1906 to 1970 in the area considered for many years to be the brick producing capital of the world. Although located in Mahoning County, it is on the edge of the city of Alliance, just across the county line of Stark County, and has always been considered a part of the Stark County brick industry.

The company was founded in 1906 by James B. Wilcox and a group of associates. Wilcox was a master brick mason and an expert at building Bessemer-type open-hearth furnaces. He soon saw the need for brick and clay products in the growing community of Alliance. The company prospered under his leadership and the production of Plant No. 1 was increased to 50,000 bricks daily.

In 1914 he built Plant No. 2, doubling the capacity. Between 1910 and 1920 the demand for paving brick for Ohio's roads increased rapidly, and the company's largest selling product was its "Speedway" pavers. In 1924 Plant No. 3 was completed, making the total plant capacity of 275,000 bricks daily, or about 50,000,000 bricks per year.

Raw material for the plants was high-grade red shale and ivory and buff clay, which were trucked from the company's own quarries nearby. In addition, the company had on its property deposits of flint and fire clay (from which refractory products were made during World War II). By 1950 the plant employed approximately 340 men and owned more than 660 acres of shale, clays, and coal. For a few years, the company also operated brick plants at Mifflinville, Pennsylvania, and at Winslow Junction, New Jersey.

James B. Wilcox served as president from 1907 until his death in 1933. He was succeeded by his son, J. Oatis Wilcox, as president until 1957. He in turn was followed by his son, James W. Wilcox, who served from 1957 until the company closed in 1970.

Markets for the company were mostly in the central and eastern parts of the United States. In addition to the millions of paving bricks, the face bricks for innumerable churches, hospitals, and schools, as well as for industrial and residential buildings, the company furnished brick for the Port Authority Bus Terminal in New York, the Parkview Apartment group in Collingwood, New Jersey, and the Holland Tunnel.

Alliance Clay Product Company was a successful operation for more than sixty years in a highly competitive industry where the mortality rate of companies were extremely high.

Site Description

The Alliance Clay Product Company covers 71.34 acres and consists of three groups of buildings, referred to as Plant No. 1, Plant No. 2, and Plant No. 3. There are also several auxiliary buildings

Plant No. 1, built in 1906, includes: (1) a frame building 40 x 75 feet with a 65-foot high tower. It was used for unloading clay, crushing the clay, mixing and forming bricks. The roof is deteriorated, and the siding needs to be painted. (2) a brick structure 50 x 100 feet containing drying tunnels for drying the bricks prior to firing. (3) eight beehive kilns of brick construction measuring 30 feet in diameter inside and approximately 20 feet in height. Seven were built in 1906 and a slightly larger one in 1950. They have reinforcing steel bands around the outside and are in good condition, (4) an open storage area of 30 x 200 feet. Used for storing fired bricks, the open area has a raised concrete base for a truck loading dock, and a pitched roof covering. (5) a tile machine shop 1-1/2 stories high and 25 x 75 feet. (6) two office buildings, one of brick construction measuring 15 x 40 feet (1915) and the other 25 x 80 feet (1920s).

Plant No. 2, built in 1914, has the same basic layout as Plant No. 1. However, the buildings are all of brick construction and considerably larger, with monitor roofs and metal sash windows. The kilns were razed in 1970. The storage shed, 40 x 400 feet, has been enclosed and is presently used to make and repair pallets.

Plant No. 3, built in 1924; also has the same basic layout as Plant No. 1, with the brick construction and size of Plant No. 2. A grinding and mixing building is located between Plants No. 2 and 3. In addition, there are several small storage and utility buildings.

In the 1920s several "company houses" for employees were erected. Five are still standing. They are plain 2-1/2 story rectangular brick buildings, 25 x 40 feet, with gable roofs and linteled windows. In later years they were used for storage and auxiliary office space.