Want to own a mansion? There's a hidden gem on 10 acres in Alliance now up for auction

ALLIANCE ‒ Many have likely driven by this home a thousand times and never known its magnificent existence.

It's easy to miss.

The former Morgan mansion — not the Glamorgan Castle — on Glamorgan Street hides behind a gated horseshoe drive and hundreds of tall trees, some obscure prying eyes, on 10 acres. Rarely do you see that kind of private acreage within the heart of a city.

Now, this piece of city history could be yours.

Owner Carol Fleisher, who wants to downsize, is selling the early colonial mansion by auction at noon Wednesday. Kiko Auctions will conduct the auction. The more than 5,000-square-foot mansion sits across from Alliance Elks Lodge 467 and Alliance High School, not far from Glamorgan Castle.

Fleisher declined to comment for this story.

Jeff Kiko, the auctioneer, said the auction is only for the house and land. The contents of the home, available for purchase, will be auctioned online at a later date. He said he expects a large crowd of onlookers for Wednesday's event and a handful of serious bidders.

The starting bid is zero. The terms are 10% down on auction day with the balance at close. A 10% buyer's premium will be added to the highest bid to establish the purchase price. All inspections must be done before the auction starts.

"There's been a lot of showings," Kiko said. "The best buyer is really probably someone who loves history and loves old homes."

The Stark County Auditor's Office has appraised the value of the house and land at $353,000. At least one person, Jennifer Rusnak of Canton, who saw the place, thought it could fetch $1 million at auction.

The same family, who built Glamorgan Castle, built this mansion

The expansive mansion is a sight to see, with five bedrooms, four full baths, a four-season sun porch, a study and a "Butler Call" buzzer.

It was built by the Morgan family of Glamorgan Castle and Morgan Engineering fame.

The late Col. William Morgan built the castle. His son, William H. Morgan Jr., built the mansion in 1940 and lived there until his death in 1982, according to Castle Crusaders, nonprofit caretakers of Glamorgan Castle, which is owned by Alliance City Schools.

Their father and grandfather, Thomas Rees Morgan Sr., invented the overhead traveling crane and founded Morgan Engineering in 1897, establishing Alliance has an industrial hub, according to Alliance Historical Society. His son, Col. Morgan, and grandson, William H., would serve as company presidents.

The family later sold its interest in the company. It changed hands a couple times, but Mark Fedor bought the business in 2005. Fedor's Morgan Industries includes Morgan Engineering and several other companies, all headquartered in Alliance.

It still makes cranes, but also builds retractable roofs and creates automation products. Among its clients are steel mills, power plants and aluminum companies, according to the company's website. It is one of the city's top employers, the city's auditor said.

Kiko said he believes Fleisher, who has owned the Morgan property for 35 years, is the second or third owner in its history.

Roberta Barnhouse, the granddaughter of William H. Morgan Jr., spent a lot of her youth at her grandparents' home.

"I hope someone can get it and restore it to its former glory," she said.

People who have explored Morgan mansion grounds awed by its grandeur

Among those who were shown the property leading up to the auction were Rusnak and Susan Hayes of Lake Township.

Neither is likely to make a bid — at least a serious one — but they couldn't resist the temptation to dream and be smitten by the mansion.

"It's beautiful. Looks like an English country mansion," Hayes said.

The Morgan mansion also features an attached two-car garage, a tavern, a two-story porch that overlooks a courtyard with a water fountain and a billiards room with three stained glass French doors that take you to a tea garden and fireplace. The basement is finished. The attic is enormous.

Morgan Jr.'s initials are etched into the wood above the wet bar in the tavern. The study has a hidden room. There are three furnaces, central air, a large laundry room, a winding staircase and a workshop on the second floor, accessible through another room. The 10-acre site includes a creek.

For being 80-plus years old, the mansion looks well-cared for and move-in ready, Rusnak said. Even if the new owner wanted changes, they "could take their time." For her, she wouldn't change much of the look inside, except to remove some carpet and expose the hardwood.

Hayes had no shortage of favorite rooms in the house.

"The master bedroom, the front, the screened-in porch, the garden with the fountain. Yes, the garden with the fountain. The attic," she said excitedly.

Rusnak said the dining room and the living room were favorites.

"To think of how many people walked through here and we're entertained and happy, it just makes me happy. It just makes you happy to be here. It does," Rusnak said.

Reach Benjamin Duer at 330-580-8567 or ben.duer@cantonrep.com. On X (formerly Twitter): @bduerREP

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Former Morgan mansion in Alliance to be auctioned April 24 by Kiko