Ames, Iowa

History

The city was founded in 1864 as a station stop on the Cedar Rapids and Missouri Railroad and was named after 19th century U.S. Congressman Oakes Ames of Massachusetts, who was influential in the building of the transcontinental railroad. Ames was founded by local resident Cynthia Olive Duff (née Kellogg) and railroad magnate John Insley Blair, near a location that was deemed favorable for a railroad crossing of the Skunk River and Ioway Creek. William West (1821–1919) became the first mayor of Ames in 1870. With his wife Harriet, from 1869 to 1892, he ran Ames's first hotel, known as West House, on Douglas Avenue on the site of the present Octagon Center for the Arts. West was a highly respected pioneer businessman who also served on the Ames School Board in the 1880s when Central School was built on the site of the present Ames City Hall on Clark Avenue and Sixth Street. The Wests raised several daughters and sons. William West spent the last of his life living with his son in northwest Iowa.

Geography

Ames is located along the western edge of Story County, roughly 30 mi north of the state capital, Des Moines. Passing through Ames is the cross country line of the Union Pacific Railroad and two small streams (the South Skunk River and Ioway Creek).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 24.27 sqmi, of which 24.21 sqmi is land and 0.06 sqmi is water.

Neighborhoods

• Ames Main Street Historic District
• Campustown, south of Iowa State University, is a high-density mixed-use neighborhood with many student apartments, nightlife venues, and restaurants.

Climate

Ames has a humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification Dfa). On average, the warmest month is July and the coldest is January. The highest recorded temperature was 109 °F on July 24, 1901, and the lowest was -37 °F January 25, 1894.

| Jan record high F = 67 | Feb record high F = 76 | Mar record high F = 84 | Apr record high F = 89 | May record high F = 97 | Jun record high F = 100 | Jul record high F = 102 | Aug record high F = 100 | Sep record high F = 99 | Oct record high F = 95 | Nov record high F = 81 | Dec record high F = 73

| Jan record low F = −33 | Feb record low F = −28 | Mar record low F = −14 | Apr record low F = 12 | May record low F = 25 | Jun record low F = 42 | Jul record low F = 47 | Aug record low F = 44 | Sep record low F = 29 | Oct record low F = 15 | Nov record low F = −5 | Dec record low F = −19

| Jan snow depth inch = 3.1 | Feb snow depth inch = 2.9 | Mar snow depth inch = 0.6 | Apr snow depth inch = 0.2 | May snow depth inch = 0.0 | Jun snow depth inch = 0.0 | Jul snow depth inch = 0.0 | Aug snow depth inch = 0.0 | Sep snow depth inch = 0.0 | Oct snow depth inch = 0.0 | Nov snow depth inch = 0.2 | Dec snow depth inch = 1.6

| access-date = June 27, 2021}} |access-date = November 29, 2023

Demographics

|1870|636 |1880|1153 |1890|1276 |1900|2422 |1910|4223 |1920|6270 |1930|10261 |1940|12555 |1950|22898 |1960|27003 |1970|39505 |1980|45775 |1990|47198 |2000|50731 |2010|58965 |2020|66427

2020 census

As of the census of 2020, there were 66,427 people, 25,579 households, and 10,641 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,407.5 inhabitants per square mile (929.5/km2). There were 27,806 housing units at an average density of 1,007.8 per square mile (389.1/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 77.5% White, 4.2% Black or African American, 0.3% Native American, 7.9% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, 3.1% from other races and 6.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino persons of any race comprised 5.9% of the population.

Of the 25,579 households, 17.5% of which had children under the age of 18 living with them, 32.5% were married couples living together, 6.8% were cohabiting couples, 29.5% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present and 31.2% had a male householder with no spouse or partner present. 58.4% of all households were non-families. 35.9% of all households were made up of individuals, 8.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years old or older.

The median age in the city was 23.6 years. 26.3% of the residents were under the age of 20; 27.7% were between the ages of 20 and 24; 22.4% were from 25 and 44; 12.8% were from 45 and 64; and 10.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 53.0% male and 47.0% female.

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 58,965 people, 22,759 households, and 9,959 families residing in the city. The population density was 2435.6 PD/sqmi. There were 23,876 housing units at an average density of 986.2 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 84.5% White, 3.4% African American, 0.2% Native American, 8.8% Asian, 1.1% from other races, and 2.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.4% of the population.

There were 22,759 households, of which 19.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.6% were married couples living together, 5.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 56.2% were non-families. 30.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.82.

The median age in the city was 23.8 years. 13.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 40.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22.9% were from 25 to 44; 15% were from 45 to 64; and 8.1% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 53.0% male and 47.0% female.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 50,731 people, 18,085 households, and 8,970 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,352.3 PD/sqmi. There were 18,757 housing units at an average density of 869.7 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 87.34% White, 7.70% Asian, 2.65% African American, 0.04% Native American, 0.76% Pacific Islander and other races, and 1.36% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.98% of the population.

There were 18,085 households, out of which 22.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.0% were married couples living together, 5.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 50.4% were non-families. 28.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.85.

Age spread: 14.6% under the age of 18, 40.0% from 18 to 24, 23.7% from 25 to 44, 13.9% from 45 to 64, and 7.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 24 years. For every 100 females, there were 109.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 109.9 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $36,042, and the median income for a family was $56,439. Males had a median income of $37,877 versus $28,198 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,881. About 7.6% of families and 20.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.2% of those under age 18 and 4.1% of those age 65 or over.

Metropolitan area

]]

The U.S. Census Bureau designates the Ames MSA as encompassing all of Story County. While Ames is the largest city in Story County, the county seat is in the nearby city of Nevada, 8 mi east of Ames.

Ames metropolitan statistical area combined with the Boone, Iowa micropolitan statistical area (Boone County, Iowa) make up the larger Ames-Boone combined statistical area. Ames is the larger principal city of the Combined Statistical Area that includes all of Story County, Iowa and Boone County, Iowa. which had a combined population of 106,205 at the 2000 census.

Economy

Iowa State University contains the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Animal Disease Center, which developed the Ames strain), and the U.S. Department of Energy's Ames Laboratory, a major materials research and development facility.

Located in Ames are the main offices of the Iowa Department of Transportation, and state and Federal institutions are the largest employers in Ames.

The Iowa State University Research Park is a not-for-profit business development incubator located in Ames, and affiliated with Iowa State University.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics ranked Ames and Boulder, Colorado as having the lowest unemployment rate (2.5%) of any metropolitan area in the United States in 2016. By June 2018, unemployment in Ames had fallen even further, to 1.5%, though wage increases for workers were not keeping pace with rising rents.

Top employers

As of 2022, the top employers in the city are:

Arts and culture

• The Ames History Museum was founded in 1980, and includes a historic schoolhouse.
• Ames Public Library, a Carnegie library, was founded in 1904.
• The Octagon Center for the Arts includes galleries, art classes, art studios, and a retail shop. They sponsor the local street fair, The Octagon Arts Festival, and holds an annual National Juried Exhibition judging artwork in material categories such as Clay, Fiber, Paper, Glass, Metal, and Wood.

Sports

The Iowa State Cyclones play a variety of sports in the Ames area. The Iowa State Cyclones football team plays at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames. The Cyclones' Men's and Women's Basketball teams and Volleyball teams play at Hilton Coliseum. The Iowa State Cyclones are a charter member of the Big 12 Conference in all sports and compete in NCAA Division I-A.

Parks and recreation

Ames has multiple parks, including Brookside Park, River Valley Park and the Ada Hayden Heritage Park, which contains a lake, a series of wetlands and trails. Reiman Gardens, owned by Iowa State University, is a public garden located in Ames.

Government

From 1979 through 2011, Ames was the location of the Ames Straw Poll, which was held every August prior to a presidential election year in which the Republican presidential nomination was undecided (meaning there was no Republican president running for re-election—as in 2011, 2007, 1999, 1995, 1987, and 1979). The poll would gauge support for the various Republican candidates amongst attendees of a fundraising dinner benefiting the Iowa Republican Party. The straw poll was frequently seen by national media and party insiders as a first test of organizational strength in Iowa. In 2015, the straw poll was to be moved to nearby Boone before the Iowa Republican Party eventually decided to cancel it altogether.

Ames is part of Iowa House of Representatives District 50, currently represented by Ross Wilburn. It is part of Iowa Senate District 25, currently represented by Herman Quirmbach.

Education

Schools located in Ames are administered by the Ames Community School District.

Public high school in Ames

• Ames High School: Grades 9–12

Public elementary/middle schools in Ames

• David Edwards Elementary: K-5
• Abbie Sawyer Elementary School: Grades K-5
• Kate Mitchell Elementary School: Grades K-5
• Warren H. Meeker Elementary School: Grades K-5
• Gertrude Fellows Elementary School: Grades K-5
• Ames Middle School: Grades 6–8

Private schools in Ames

• Ames Christian School
• Saint Cecilia School (preK – 5th grade)

Iowa State University

Founded in 1856, Iowa State University is a public research university located in Ames. The university is a member of the American Association of Universities and the Big 12 Conference. ISU was the first designated land-grant university in the United States.

Notable buildings on the university campus include the Farm House Museum, Beardshear Hall, Morrill Hall, Memorial Union, Catt Hall, Curtiss Hall, Carver Hall, Parks Library, the Campanile, Hilton Coliseum, C.Y. Stephens Auditorium, Fisher Theater, Jack Trice Stadium, Lied Recreation Center, and numerous residence halls.

Media

Online and newsprint

• Ames Tribune, newspaper published in Ames.
• Iowa State Daily, Iowa State University student newspaper.
• The Des Moines Register
• Story County Sun, weekly county newspaper published in Ames.

Radio stations licensed to Ames

• KURE, student radio operated at Iowa State University.
• WOI-FM, Iowa Public Radio's flagship "Studio One" station, broadcasting an NPR news format during the day and a music format in the evening, owned and operated at Iowa State University.
• WOI (AM), Iowa Public Radio's flagship station delivering a 24-hour news format consisting mainly of NPR programming, owned and operated at Iowa State University.
• KOEZ, Adult Contemporary station licensed to Ames, but operated in Des Moines.
• KCYZ, Hot Adult Contemporary station owned and operated by Clear Channel in Ames.
• KASI, news/talk station owned and operated by Clear Channel in Ames.
• KNWM-FM, Contemporary Christian Madrid/Ames station owned and operated by the University of Northwestern – St. Paul - simulcast with KNWI-FM Osceola/Des Moines
• KHOI, Community Radio station licensed to Story City with studios in Ames. KHOI broadcasts music and local public affairs programs and is affiliated with the Pacifica Radio network. Ames is also served by stations in the Des Moines media market, which includes Clear Channel's 50,000-watt talk station WHO, music stations KAZR, KDRB, KGGO, KKDM, KHKI, KIOA, KJJY, KRNT, KSPZ and KSTZ, talk station KWQW, and sports stations KXNO and KXNO-FM.

Television

Ames is served by the Des Moines media market. WOI-DT, the ABC affiliate in central Iowa, was originally owned and operated by Iowa State University until the 1990s. The station is licensed to Ames, with studio's located in West Des Moines. Other stations serving Ames include KCCI, KDIN-TV, WHO-DT, KCWI-TV, KDMI, KDSM-TV and KFPX-TV.

Channel 12 is owned by the City of Ames, broadcasting city council meetings and local events. The station has received a NATOA Government Programming Award and a Telly Award.

Channel 16 is a public access TV channel.

Infrastructure

Transportation

Highways include U.S. Highways 30, 69 and Interstate 35.

Ames Municipal Airport is located 1 mi southeast of the city.

CyRide is a local bus system, and Jefferson Lines is an intercity bus.

Ames is home to the headquarters of the Iowa Department of Transportation.

Health care

Ames is served by Mary Greeley Medical Center, a 220-bed regional hospital.

Notable people ==

Only people who already have a Wikipedia article may appear here as Notable people. This establishes notability. The biographical article should say how they are associated with THIS CITY examples = born, raised, residing etc. An external reliable source of their association with THIS CITY should be cited in their Article and MUST be cited HERE. All others will be deleted without further explanation. Alphabetical by last name please. Use a short one line description of Notability. If the person you think is Notable and does not have a Wikipedia Article for themselves create one. Guidelines for the Notability of a person can be found by entering WP:PEOPLE in the wiki search. Guidelines on what is needed and how to write the Article can be found by entering WP:MOSBIO in the wiki search. END OF NOTICE * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * END OF NOTICE * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *END OF NOTICE --

Acting

• Evan Helmuth, actor (1977–2017) (Fever Pitch, The Devil Inside)
• Nick Nolte, actor, lived in Ames, 1945-1950

Artists and photographers

• Mary Alice Barton (1917–2003), quilter, quilt historian, collector, and philanthropist
• John E. Buck, sculptor
• Robert Crumb, cartoonist and musician, the Crumb family moved to Ames in August 1950, for two years
• Margaret Lloyd, opera singer
• Laurel Nakadate, American video artist, filmmaker and photographer
• Velma Wallace Rayness (1896–1977), author, painter and artist
• Brian Smith, Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer, born July 16, 1959

Aviation

• Neta Snook Southern, pioneer aviator, taught Amelia Earhart to fly

Musicians

• Buster B. Jones, fingerpicker guitarist
• John Darnielle, musician from indie rock band The Mountain Goats; former Ames resident
• The Envy Corps, indie rock band
• Leslie Hall, electronic rap musician/Gem Sweater collector, born in Ames in 1981
• Peter Schickele, musician, born in Ames in 1935
• Richie Hayward, drummer and founding member of the band Little Feat; former Ames resident and graduate of Ames High School

Journalists

• Robert Bartley, editorial page editor of The Wall Street Journal and a Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient; raised in Ames and ISU graduate
• Wally Bruner, ABC News journalist and television host
• Michael Gartner, former president of NBC News; retired to own and publish the Ames Tribune

Politicians

• Ruth Bascom, Mayor of Eugene, Oregon
• Edward Mezvinsky, former U.S. Congressman; father-in-law of Chelsea Clinton; raised in Ames
• Bee Nguyen, former Georgia (U.S. state) state representative
• Bob Walkup, Mayor of Tucson, Arizona
• Lee Teng-hui, President of the Republic of China, ISU graduate
• Henry A. Wallace, 11th United States Secretary of Agriculture, 10th United States Secretary of Commerce, and 33rd Vice President of the United States, ISU graduate; lived in Ames from 1892 - 1896

Sports

• Harrison Barnes, NBA player, 2015 NBA champion, 2016 U.S. Olympic gold medalist, Ames HS graduate
• Sebastián Botero, soccer player and coach
• Joe Burrow, NFL quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals, Heisman Trophy winner. Born in Ames
• Doug McDermott, basketball player, Ames HS graduate
• Kip Corrington, NFL player
• Dick Gibbs, NBA player, Ames HS graduate
• Terry Hoage, NFL player
• Fred Hoiberg, retired NBA basketball player; raised in Ames, ISU graduate, former ISU basketball coach, former coach of the Chicago Bulls and current Nebraska men's basketball coach.
• Herb Sies, pro football player and coach
• Billy Sunday, evangelist and Major League Baseball player; born in Ames in 1863
• Fred Tisue, Olympian water polo player

Scientists

• Laurel Blair Salton Clark, astronaut, died on STS-107
• Charles W. "Chuck" Durham, civil engineer, philanthropist, civic leader, former CEO and chairman emeritus of HDR, Inc.; raised in Ames
• Lyle Goodhue, scientist, lived and studied in Ames 1925–1934
• Frank Spedding, chemist, creator of the Ames Process during the Manhattan Project
• Dan Shechtman, awarded 2011 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for "the discovery of quasicrystals"; Professor of Materials Science at Iowa State University (2004–present) and Associate at the Department of Energy's Ames Laboratory

Writers and poets

• Ann Cotten, poet, born in Ames, grew up in Vienna
• Brian Evenson, author
• Jane Espenson, writer and producer for television, including Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Star Trek: The Next Generation, grew up in Ames
• Michelle Hoover, author, born in Ames
• Meg Johnson, poet and dancer
• Fern Kupfer, author
• Joseph Geha, author
• Ted Kooser, U.S. Poet Laureate; raised in Ames and ISU graduate
• John Madson, freelance naturalist of tallgrass prairie ecosystems
• Sara Paretsky, author of the V.I. Warshawski mysteries; born in Ames in 1947
• Lincoln Peirce, cartoonist/writer of the Big Nate comics and books
• Jane Smiley, Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist; former instructor at ISU (1981–1996); used ISU as the basis for her novel Moo
• Neal Stephenson, author, grew up in Ames
• Hugh Young, coauthor of University Physics textbook

Other

• Neva Morris, at her death (2010) second-oldest person in the world and oldest American aged 114 years; lived in Ames her entire life
• Todd Snyder (fashion designer)
• Nate Staniforth, magician
• Brian Thompson, businessman (1974–2024)

In popular culture

• Ames is featured in Jeffrey Zaslow's 2009 book The Girls from Ames.

References

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