City in Iowa, United States
Ames
(
) is a city in
Story County, Iowa
, United States, located approximately 30 miles (48 km) north of
Des Moines
in central Iowa. It is best known as the home of
Iowa State University
(ISU), with leading agriculture, design,
engineering
, and
veterinary medicine
colleges. A
United States Department of Energy
national laboratory,
Ames Laboratory
, is located on the ISU campus.
According to the
2020 census
, Ames had a population of 66,427, making it the state's
ninth most populous city
.
[4]
Iowa State University was home to 30,177 students as of Fall 2023,
[5]
which make up approximately one half of the city's population.
Ames also hosts
United States Department of Agriculture
(USDA) sites: the largest federal animal disease center in the United States, the USDA Agricultural Research Service's National Animal Disease Center (NADC),
[6]
as well as one of two national USDA sites for the
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
(APHIS), which comprises the
National Veterinary Services Laboratory
and the Center for Veterinary Biologics.
[7]
Ames also hosts the headquarters of the
Iowa Department of Transportation
.
History
[
edit
]
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
.
[8]
Ames was founded by local resident Cynthia Olive Duff (nee Kellogg) and railroad magnate
John Insley Blair
,
[9]
near a location that was deemed favorable for a railroad crossing of the
Skunk River
.
Geography
[
edit
]
Ames is located along the western edge of
Story County
, roughly 30 miles (48 km) north of the state capital,
Des Moines
, near the intersection of
Interstate 35
and
U.S. Route 30
. A smaller highway,
U.S. Route 69
, passes through the town. Also 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 square miles (62.86 km
2
), of which 24.21 square miles (62.70 km
2
) is land and 0.06 square miles (0.16 km
2
) is water.
[10]
Campustown
[
edit
]
Campustown is the neighborhood directly south of Iowa State University Central Campus bordered by
Lincoln Way
on the north. Campustown is a high-density mixed-use neighborhood that is home to many student apartments, nightlife venues, restaurants, and numerous other establishments, most of which are unique to Ames.
Climate
[
edit
]
Ames has a
humid continental climate
(
Koppen climate classification
Dfa
). On average, the warmest month is July and the coldest is January. The highest recorded temperature was 109 °F (43 °C) on July 24, 1901, and the lowest was ?37 °F (?38 °C) January 25, 1894.
[11]
Climate data for Ames, Iowa (1991?2020 normals, extremes 1893?present)
|
Month
|
Jan
|
Feb
|
Mar
|
Apr
|
May
|
Jun
|
Jul
|
Aug
|
Sep
|
Oct
|
Nov
|
Dec
|
Year
|
Record high °F (°C)
|
67
(19)
|
76
(24)
|
90
(32)
|
97
(36)
|
104
(40)
|
104
(40)
|
109
(43)
|
107
(42)
|
102
(39)
|
95
(35)
|
81
(27)
|
73
(23)
|
102
(39)
|
Mean maximum °F (°C)
|
48.1
(8.9)
|
53.3
(11.8)
|
70.9
(21.6)
|
82.5
(28.1)
|
88.4
(31.3)
|
91.5
(33.1)
|
92.5
(33.6)
|
90.9
(32.7)
|
89.0
(31.7)
|
83.2
(28.4)
|
68.1
(20.1)
|
52.6
(11.4)
|
94.2
(34.6)
|
Mean daily maximum °F (°C)
|
28.9
(?1.7)
|
33.6
(0.9)
|
47.7
(8.7)
|
62.0
(16.7)
|
72.5
(22.5)
|
81.3
(27.4)
|
83.9
(28.8)
|
81.8
(27.7)
|
77.0
(25.0)
|
64.1
(17.8)
|
47.5
(8.6)
|
33.7
(0.9)
|
59.5
(15.3)
|
Daily mean °F (°C)
|
20.4
(?6.4)
|
24.9
(?3.9)
|
37.7
(3.2)
|
50.3
(10.2)
|
61.6
(16.4)
|
71.1
(21.7)
|
74.0
(23.3)
|
71.8
(22.1)
|
65.3
(18.5)
|
52.8
(11.6)
|
38.1
(3.4)
|
25.6
(?3.6)
|
49.5
(9.7)
|
Mean daily minimum °F (°C)
|
11.9
(?11.2)
|
16.1
(?8.8)
|
27.7
(?2.4)
|
38.6
(3.7)
|
50.7
(10.4)
|
60.9
(16.1)
|
64.1
(17.8)
|
61.8
(16.6)
|
53.5
(11.9)
|
41.4
(5.2)
|
28.6
(?1.9)
|
17.5
(?8.1)
|
39.4
(4.1)
|
Mean minimum °F (°C)
|
?12.2
(?24.6)
|
?7.1
(?21.7)
|
5.4
(?14.8)
|
22.7
(?5.2)
|
35.7
(2.1)
|
48.4
(9.1)
|
53.5
(11.9)
|
51.6
(10.9)
|
37.7
(3.2)
|
23.8
(?4.6)
|
9.2
(?12.7)
|
?5.0
(?20.6)
|
?15.7
(?26.5)
|
Record low °F (°C)
|
?37
(?38)
|
?31
(?35)
|
?25
(?32)
|
7
(?14)
|
18
(?8)
|
36
(2)
|
39
(4)
|
36
(2)
|
22
(?6)
|
?7
(?22)
|
?8
(?22)
|
?24
(?31)
|
?31
(?35)
|
Average
precipitation
inches (mm)
|
0.69
(18)
|
1.02
(26)
|
2.01
(51)
|
3.89
(99)
|
4.99
(127)
|
4.89
(124)
|
4.53
(115)
|
4.75
(121)
|
3.47
(88)
|
2.63
(67)
|
1.86
(47)
|
1.17
(30)
|
35.90
(912)
|
Average snowfall inches (cm)
|
7.8
(20)
|
10.0
(25)
|
4.2
(11)
|
1.3
(3.3)
|
0.0
(0.0)
|
0.0
(0.0)
|
0.0
(0.0)
|
0.0
(0.0)
|
0.0
(0.0)
|
0.5
(1.3)
|
2.0
(5.1)
|
6.9
(18)
|
32.7
(83)
|
Average extreme snow depth inches (cm)
|
8
(20)
|
8
(20)
|
4
(10)
|
0
(0)
|
0
(0)
|
0
(0)
|
0
(0)
|
0
(0)
|
0
(0)
|
0
(0)
|
1
(2.5)
|
5
(13)
|
8
(20)
|
Average precipitation days
(≥ 0.01 in)
|
5.9
|
6.4
|
7.7
|
11.5
|
12.7
|
10.9
|
8.7
|
9.6
|
8.6
|
8.8
|
7.0
|
5.6
|
103.4
|
Average snowy days
(≥ 0.1 in)
|
4.4
|
4.4
|
1.9
|
0.9
|
0.0
|
0.0
|
0.0
|
0.0
|
0.0
|
0.3
|
1.5
|
3.6
|
17.0
|
Source:
NOAA
[12]
[13]
[11]
|
Demographics
[
edit
]
Historical populations
Year
| Pop.
| ±%
|
---|
1870
| 636
| ?
|
---|
1880
| 1,153
| +81.3%
|
---|
1890
| 1,276
| +10.7%
|
---|
1900
| 2,422
| +89.8%
|
---|
1910
| 4,223
| +74.4%
|
---|
1920
| 6,270
| +48.5%
|
---|
1930
| 10,261
| +63.7%
|
---|
1940
| 12,555
| +22.4%
|
---|
1950
| 22,898
| +82.4%
|
---|
1960
| 27,003
| +17.9%
|
---|
1970
| 39,505
| +46.3%
|
---|
1980
| 45,775
| +15.9%
|
---|
1990
| 47,198
| +3.1%
|
---|
2000
| 50,731
| +7.5%
|
---|
2010
| 58,965
| +16.2%
|
---|
2020
| 66,427
| +12.7%
|
---|
Source:
"U.S. Census website"
.
United States Census Bureau
. Retrieved
March 28,
2020
.
and
Iowa Data Center
Source:
|
2010 census
[
edit
]
As of the census
[15]
of 2010, there were 58,965 people, 22,759 households, and 9,959 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,435.6 inhabitants per square mile (940.4/km
2
). There were 23,876 housing units at an average density of 986.2 per square mile (380.8/km
2
). 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
[
edit
]
As of the census of 2000,
[16]
there were 50,731 people, 18,085 households, and 8,970 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,352.3 inhabitants per square mile (908.2/km
2
). There were 18,757 housing units at an average density of 869.7 per square mile (335.8/km
2
). 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
[
edit
]
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 miles (13 km) 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.
[17]
[18]
[19]
which had a combined population of 106,205 at the
2000 census
.
[16]
Economy
[
edit
]
Ames is home of Iowa State University of Science and Technology, a public
land-grant
and
space-grant
research university. At its founding in 1858, Iowa State was known as the Iowa State College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts. Ames is the home of the closely allied
U.S. Department of Agriculture
's National Animal Disease Center (See
Ames strain
), the
U.S. Department of Energy
's
Ames Laboratory
(a major materials research and development facility), and the main offices of the
Iowa Department of Transportation
. State and Federal institutions are the largest employers in Ames.
Other area employers include a
3M
manufacturing plant; Danfoss Power Solutions, a hydraulics manufacturer;
Barilla
, a pasta manufacturer;
Ball
, a manufacturer of canning jars and plastic bottles;
Workiva
, a global cloud computing company;
Renewable Energy Group
, America's largest producer of biomass-based diesel; and the
National Farmers Organization
.
The
Iowa State University Research Park
is a
not-for-profit
business development incubator located in Ames, and affiliated with Iowa State University.
[20]
In 2015, Ames was ranked in the top 15 "Cities That Have Done the Best Since the Recession" by
Bloomberg Businessweek
.
[21]
The Bureau of Labor Statistics ranked Ames and
Boulder, Colorado
as having the lowest unemployment rate (2.5%) of any metropolitan area in the US in 2016.
[22]
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.
[23]
Top employers
[
edit
]
As of 2022, the top employers in the city are:
[24]
Arts and culture
[
edit
]
- Ames History Museum - founded in 1980, the museum also operates a historic schoolhouse.
[25]
- Brunnier Art Museum (Scheman Building)
- Ames Public Library - located in a
Carnegie library
,
[26]
it was founded in 1904.
[27]
it has 1,386,273 items in circulations, including 799,349 books and 586,924 multimedia items.
[28]
- The Octagon Center for the Arts - the Center includes galleries, art classes, art studios, and retail shop. They sponsor the local street fair, The Octagon Arts Festival, and hold an annual National Juried Exhibition Clay, Fiber, Paper Glass Metal, Wood.
[29]
Sports
[
edit
]
- Iowa Sports Foundation
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. Also, the Cyclones' Men's and Women's Basketball teams and Volleyball teams play at
Hilton Coliseum
just across the street from Jack Trice Stadium. The Iowa State Cyclones are a charter member of the
Big 12 Conference
in all sports and compete in
NCAA
Division I-A. The Iowa State Women's Tennis is also well known and very successful.
The Ames Figure Skating Club provides recreational to professional level skating opportunities. The club sponsors the Learn to Skate Program. Coaches provide on and off ice lessons or workshops. The club hosts the figure skating portion of the Iowa Games competition every summer. In the fall the club hosts Cyclone Country Championships.
The Ames ISU ice arena also hosts the Iowa State Cyclones hockey team. The arena also hosts the Ames Little Cyclones hockey program for high school students and children in elementary or middle school.
Education
[
edit
]
Much of the city is served by the
Ames Community School District
.
A portion of northern Ames is zoned to the
Gilbert Community School District
.
[30]
- 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
Gilbert CSD students are zoned to
Gilbert High School
.
- Private schools in Ames
- Ames Christian School
- Saint Cecilia School (preK ? 5th grade)
Iowa State University
[
edit
]
Iowa State University of Science and Technology
, more commonly known as Iowa State University (ISU), is a public
land-grant
and
space-grant
research university located in Ames. Iowa State University is the birthplace of the
Atanasoff?Berry Computer
, the world's first electronic digital computer.
[31]
Iowa State has produced a number of astronauts, scientists,
Nobel laureates
,
[32]
and
Pulitzer Prize
winners.
[33]
Until 1945 it was known as the Iowa State College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts. The university is a member of the
American Association of Universities
and the
Big 12 Conference
.
ISU is the nation's first designated
land-grant university
.
[34]
In 1856, the
Iowa General Assembly
enacted legislation to establish the State Agricultural College and Model Farm.
Story County
was chosen as the location on June 21, 1859, from proposals by
Johnson
,
Kossuth
,
Marshall
,
Polk
, and
Story
counties. When Iowa accepted the provisions of the
Morrill Act of 1862
, Iowa State became the first institution in nation designated as a
land-grant
college. The institution was coeducational from the first preparatory class admitted in 1868. The formal admitting of students began the following year, and the first graduating class of 1872 consisted of 24 men and 2 women.
[34]
The first building on the Iowa State campus was
Farm House
. Built in the 1860s, it currently serves as a museum and
National Historic Landmark
. Today, Iowa State has over 60 notable buildings, including
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, numerous residence halls, and many buildings specific to ISU's many different majors and colleges.
The official mascot for ISU is
Cy the Cardinal
. The official school colors are
cardinal
and gold. The
Iowa State Cyclones
play in the
NCAA
's Division I-A as a member of the
Big 12 Conference
.
Media
[
edit
]
- Online and newsprint
- Ames Tribune
, Tuesday-Sunday paper produced in Ames.
- Iowa State Daily
, independent student newspaper produced at Iowa State University.
- The Des Moines Register
also provides extensive coverage of Iowa news and sports to Ames.
- Story County Sun, weekly newspaper that covers the entire county 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
Like radio, 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 still licensed to Ames, but studio's are 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 and overseen by the City Manager's Office. The channel broadcasts meetings for city council as well as other city government councils and boards. Channel 12 also produces its own original content focused on news and other happenings in Ames. Channel 12 has won various regional and national awards including a NATOA Government Programming Award and a Telly Award. Channel 12's goals are "To provide quality programming to the citizens of Ames that educates and informs about city government issues" and "To provide live coverage and rebroadcasts of council and commission meetings."
[35]
Channel 16 serves as Ames' public access TV channel. "The purpose of Ames Public Access TV (Channel 16) is to provide residents the opportunity to broadcast locally produced programs on cable television. APATV provides cablecasting of non-commercial, public access programming independently produced by professionals or non-professionals in either a VHS or DVD format. This service is provided on a first-come-first-served, non-discriminatory, non monopolistic basis. Other services include video messaging to serve as a community calendar."
[36]
Infrastructure
[
edit
]
Transportation
[
edit
]
The town is served by
U.S. Highways 30
and
69
and
Interstate 35
. Ames is the only town in Iowa with a population of greater than 50,000 that does not have a state highway serving it. As of 2019
[update]
, Ames currently has three roundabouts constructed on University Avenue/530th Avenue. The first is at the intersection of Airport Road (Oakwood Rd.) and University Avenue, the second at the intersection of Cottonwood Road and 530th Avenue and the third at Collaboration Place and 530th Avenue.
Ames was serviced by the Fort Dodge, Des Moines and Southern Railroad via a branch from
Kelley
to
Iowa State
and to downtown Ames. The tracks were removed in the 1960s. The
Chicago and North Western Transportation Company
twin mainline runs east and west bisecting the town and running just south of the downtown business district. The C&NW used to operate a branch to
Des Moines
. This line was removed in the 1980s when the Spine Line through the nearby city of
Nevada
was purchased from the
Rock Island Railroad
after its bankruptcy. The
Union Pacific
, successor to the C&NW, still runs 60?70 trains a day through Ames on twin mainlines, which leads to some traffic delays. There is also a branch to
Eagle Grove
that leaves Ames to the north. The Union Pacific maintains a small yard called Ames Yard east of Ames between Ames and Nevada. Ames has been testing automatic train horns at several of its crossings. These directional horns which are focused down the streets are activated when the crossing signals turn on and are shut off after the train crosses the crossing. This system cancels out the need for the trains to blow their horns. Train noise had been a problem in the residential areas to the west and northwest of downtown.
Ames Municipal Airport
is located 1 mile (1.6 km) southeast of the city. The current (and only)
fixed-base operator
is Central Iowa Air Service. The airport has two runways ? 01/19, which is 5,700 by 100 feet (1,737 m × 30 m), and 13/31, which is 3,492 by 100 feet (1,064 m × 30 m).
The City of Ames offers a transit system throughout town, called
CyRide
, that is funded jointly by Iowa State University, the ISU Government of the Student Body, and the City of Ames. Rider fares are free for children under five, while students pay a set cost as part of their tuition. In addition to local transit, Ames is served by intercity buses from
Jefferson Lines
, which stop at the
Ames Intermodal Facility
.
In 2009, the Ames metropolitan statistical area (MSA) ranked as the third highest in the United States for percentage of commuters who walked to work (10.4 percent).
[37]
The City of Ames unveiled a potential bike plan at an open house on November 15, 2023, as part of the city's Walk Bike Roll Bicycle and Pedestrian project. The project has been in development since summer 2022. Particular recommendations from the project include improvements being made to Clark Avenue, Lincoln Highway, Grand Avenue and Duff Street in Ames.
[38]
Ames is home to the headquarters of the
Iowa Department of Transportation
.
[39]
Health care
[
edit
]
Ames is served by
Mary Greeley Medical Center
, a 220-bed regional referral hospital which is adjacent to McFarland Clinic PC, central Iowa's largest physician-owned multi-specialty clinic, and also Iowa Heart Center.
Parks and recreation
[
edit
]
On September 10, 2019 the City of Ames proposed a $29,000,000 bond for building a fitness center called the Healthy Life Center. It failed to pass.
[40]
Iowa State University owns the land it was to be built on.
[41]
In popular culture
[
edit
]
Notable people
[
edit
]
This is a list of notable people associated with Ames, Iowa arranged by career and in alphabetical order. For people associated with Iowa State University not originally from Ames, including athletes and employees of the school, see
List of Iowa State University alumni
Acting
[
edit
]
Artists and photographers
[
edit
]
- John E. Buck
, sculptor
- Robert Crumb
, cartoonist and musician, the Crumb family moved to Ames in August 1950, for two years.
[48]
- Margaret Lloyd
, opera singer
- Laurel Nakadate
, American video artist, filmmaker and photographer
- Velma Wallace Rayness
(1896?1977), "V.W. Rayness," author, painter and artist
[49]
- Brian Smith
, Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer, born July 16, 1959
Aviation
[
edit
]
Musicians
[
edit
]
Journalists
[
edit
]
Politicians
[
edit
]
- 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
[
edit
]
- Harrison Barnes
,
NBA
player, 2015 NBA champion, 2016 U.S. Olympic gold medalist, Ames HS graduate
- Joe Burrow
,
NFL
quarterback for the
Cincinnati Bengals
,
Heisman Trophy
winner. Born in Ames, but grew up in
The Plains, Ohio
- Juan Sebastian Botero
, soccer player
- 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
[50]
- Fred Tisue
, Olympian
water polo
player
Scientists
[
edit
]
- 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
[51]
- 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
[
edit
]
- 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
[52]
- Meg Johnson
, poet and dancer
- Fern Kupfer
, author
- Joseph Geha
, author
- Ted Kooser
, U.S.
Poet Laureate
; raised in Ames and ISU graduate
[53]
[54]
- John Madson
, freelance naturalist of
tallgrass prairie
ecosystems
[55]
- Sara Paretsky
, author of the
V.I. Warshawski
mysteries; born in Ames in 1947
- 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
- Lincoln Peirce
, cartoonist/writer of the
Big Nate
comics and books
Other
[
edit
]
Politics
[
edit
]
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.
[59]
In 2015, the straw poll was to be moved to nearby Boone before the Iowa Republican Party eventually decided to cancel it altogether.
[60]
See also
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
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- ^
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- ^
Verge, Julie (June 15, 2015).
"Here Are the 15 Cities That Have Done the Best (and the Worst) Since the Recession"
.
Bloomberg Businessweek
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- ^
"Ames, Iowa, and Boulder, Colorado, had the lowest unemployment rates in January 2016"
.
TED: The Economics Daily
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- ^
Franckel, Todd C (August 15, 2018).
"Stuck in a belligerent doldrum': Wages rise in the nation's hottest job market ? but so do costs"
.
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. Retrieved
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- ^
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.
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. Retrieved
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University of Iowa (2010).
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"History of APL"
. Archived from
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. Retrieved
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. Octagon Center for the Arts
. Retrieved
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2011
.
- ^
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.
Gilbert Community School District
. Retrieved
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2020
.
- ^
The First Electronic Computer
by Arthur W. Burks
- ^
Danielson, Dar (February 14, 2012).
"Nobel Prize winner returns to Iowa State to talk about the experience"
.
Radio Iowa
. Retrieved
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"Iowa newspaper editor wins Pulitzer Prize"
.
Des Moines Register
. Retrieved
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2019
.
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a
b
Iowa State University Time Line, 1858?1874
Archived
May 13, 2009, at the
Wayback Machine
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- ^
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.
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.
- ^
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.
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(PDF)
. American Community Survey Reports. September 2011. Archived from
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.
- ^
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.
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Where We Are Located
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."
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.
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.
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ameshistoricalsociety.org
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.
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.
ameshistoricalsociety.org
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ameshistoricalsociety.org
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. The Des Moines Register.
External links
[
edit
]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to
Ames, Iowa
.
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for
Ames
.
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