Alliance is a city in Box Butte County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 8,959 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Box Butte County. The town was originally named Grand Lake. When the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad came to Grand Lake in 1888, the railroad superintendent, G.W. Holdrege, wanted to change it to a simple one-word name closer to the beginning of the alphabet, which he thought would be better for business. The U.S. Post Office gave Holdrege permission, and he picked "Alliance" for the new name of the town. Alliance is the home to Carhenge (a replica of Stonehenge constructed with automobiles), which is located just north of the city.