Ames, Iowa
Encyclopedia
Ames is a city located in the central part of the U.S. state of Iowa
in Story County, and approximately 30 miles (48.3 km) north of Des Moines
. The U.S. Census Bureau designates that Ames, Iowa metropolitan statistical area as encompassing all of Story County, and which, when combined with the Boone, Iowa
micropolitan statistical area (Boone County, Iowa
), makes up the larger Ames-Boone combined statistical area
. As of the 2010 Census, the city population was 58,965. While Ames is the largest city in Story County, the county seat
is in the nearby city of Nevada
which is 8 miles (12.9 km) east of Ames.
Ames is the home of Iowa State University of Science and Technology
(ISU), a public research institution with leading Agriculture
, Design
, Engineering
, and Veterinary Medicine
colleges. ISU is the nation's first designated land-grant university
, and the birthplace of the Atanasoff-Berry Computer
, the world's first electronic digital computer. Ames hosts one of two national sites for the United States Department of Agriculture
's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
(APHIS) which comprises the National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) and the Center for Veterinary Biologics (CVB). Ames is also the home of the USDA's Agricultural Research Service's National Animal Disease Center (NADC). NADC is the largest federal animal disease center in the U.S., conducting research aimed at solving animal health and food safety problems faced by livestock producers and the public. Ames has the headquarters for the Iowa Department of Transportation
.
In 2010 Ames was ranked #9 on CNNMoney.com Best Places to Live list.
It is the site of the Ames Straw Poll
, an important straw poll
in the Republican party presidential nomination process as well as the first in the nation Democratic and Republican caucuses (see Politics, below).
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 near a location that was deemed favorable for a railroad crossing of the Skunk River
.
, the city has a total area of 21.6 square miles (55.9 km²), of which 21.6 square miles (55.9 km²) is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) (0.09%) is water.
Ames is located on Interstate 35
, U.S. Route 30
& 69
, and the cross country line of the Union Pacific Railroad
, located roughly 30 miles (48.3 km) north of the state capital Des Moines
. Two small rivers run through the town, the South Skunk River
and Squaw Creek.
, Little Hollywood, Main Street Cultural District (Downtown Ames), Melrose Park, Northridge Heights, Northridge Parkway, Old Town Historic Preservation District, Ontario Heights, Parkview Heights, Ridgewood, Ringgenberg Park, Skycrest, Somerset, South Fork, South Gateway, Spring Valley, Stone Brooke, Sunset Ridge, and West Ames.
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.
(Köppen climate classification
Dfa).
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 people per square mile (908.1/km²). There were 18,757 housing units at an average density of 869.7 per square mile (335.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 87.34% White, 7.70% Asian, 2.65% African American, 0.04% American Indian, 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.
In the city, the population was spread out with 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.
Ames is the larger principal city of the Ames-Boone CSA, a Combined Statistical Area
that includes the Ames metropolitan area
(Story County) and the Boone micropolitan area
(Boone County
), which had a combined population of 106,205 at the 2000 census.
of Science and Technology, a public land-grant and space-grant research university, and member of the prestigious American Association of Universities. At its founding in 1858, Iowa State was formerly 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 State Department of Transportation. State and Federal institutions are the largest employers in Ames.
Other area employers include a 3M
manufacturing plant; Sauer-Danfoss
, a hydraulics manufacturer; Barilla, a pasta manufacturer; and Ball, a manufacturer of canning jars and plastic bottles.
Ames, Iowa was home to Gerard M. and Velma Wallace Rayness.
Both artists taught art and were nationally recognized artists.
Their art was exhibited nationally as well as abroad.
Gerard died in the 1940's. Velma Wallace Rayness died in 1977.
Velma Wallace Rayness usually signed her paintings "V.W. Rayness"
Ames Historical Society
Brunnier Art Museum (Scheman Building)
Ames Public Library
The Octagon Center for the Arts
The Space for Ames
The Iowa State University
Cyclones play a variety of sports in the Ames area. The Cyclone's football team plays at Jack Trice Stadium
near Ames. As well the Cyclones Men and Women's Basketball teams and Volleyball team play at Hilton Coliseum
just across the street from Jack Trice Stadium. The Iowa State Cyclones are a charter member of the Big XII football conference in all sports and compete in NCAA Division I-A.
Ames High School Grades: 9-12
Public elementary/middle schools in Ames:
Private schools in Ames:
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 has produced a number of astronauts, scientists, Nobel laureates, Pulitzer Prize
winners, and a variety of other notable individuals in their respective fields. 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
.
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.
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
, Petrashek Auditorium, 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. Iowa State is home to 27,945 students (Fall 2009) and makes up approximately one half of the city's population.
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
.
Radio
Broadcast Television
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.
Ames was serviced by the Fort Dodge, Des Moines and Southern Railroad via a branch from Kelley
to Iowa State University 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 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 has a municipal airport located 1 miles (1.6 km) southeast of the city. The current (and only) FBO is Hap's Air Service, a company which has been based at the airport since 1975. The airport has four runways – 01/19, which is 5700x100 feet, and 13/31, which is 3492x100 feet.
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 subsidized through this funding, and are free to students and youth.
Ames has the headquarters of the Iowa Department of Transportation
.
, 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.
in recent years, and Ames, like Iowa City, also trends Democratic
. Because Iowa is the first caucus state and Ames is a college town
, it is the site of many political appearances, debates and events, especially during election years.
During every August in which the Republican presidential nomination is undecided (meaning there is no incumbent Republican president—as in, most recently, 2011, 2007, 1999, 1995 and 1987), the town plays host to the Ames Straw Poll
, which gauges support for the various Republican candidates amongst attendees of a fundraising
dinner benefiting the Iowa Republican Party
. The straw poll dates back to 1979, and is frequently seen as a first test of organizational strength in Iowa by the national media and party insiders; as such, it can be very beneficial for a candidate to win the straw poll and thus enhance the candidate's aura of inevitability or show off a superior field operation.
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
in Story County, and approximately 30 miles (48.3 km) north of Des Moines
Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines is the capital and the most populous city in the US state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small portion of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines which was shortened to "Des Moines" in 1857...
. The U.S. Census Bureau designates that Ames, Iowa metropolitan statistical area as encompassing all of Story County, and which, when combined with the Boone, Iowa
Boone, Iowa
Boone is a city in and the county seat of Des Moines Township, Boone County, Iowa, United States. It is the principal city of the 'Boone, Iowa Micropolitan Statistical Area', which encompasses all of Boone County. This micropolitan statistical area, along with the 'Ames, Iowa Metropolitan...
micropolitan statistical area (Boone County, Iowa
Boone County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 26,306 in the county, with a population density of . There were 11,756 housing units, of which 10,728 were occupied.-2000 census:...
), makes up the larger Ames-Boone combined statistical area
Combined Statistical Area
The United States Office of Management and Budget defines micropolitan and metropolitan statistical areas. Metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas consist of one or more counties...
. As of the 2010 Census, the city population was 58,965. While Ames is the largest city in Story County, the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
is in the nearby city of Nevada
Nevada, Iowa
Nevada is a city in and the county seat of Story County, Iowa, United States. The population was 6,798 in the 2010 census, an increase from 6,658 in the 2000 census. It is also part of the 'Ames, Iowa Metropolitan Statistical Area', which is a part of the larger 'Ames-Boone, Iowa Combined...
which is 8 miles (12.9 km) east of Ames.
Ames is the home of Iowa State University of Science and Technology
Iowa State University
Iowa State University of Science and Technology, more commonly known as Iowa State University , is a public land-grant and space-grant research university located in Ames, Iowa, United States. Iowa State has produced astronauts, scientists, and Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners, along with a host of...
(ISU), a public research institution with leading Agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
, Design
Design
Design as a noun informally refers to a plan or convention for the construction of an object or a system while “to design” refers to making this plan...
, Engineering
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
, and Veterinary Medicine
Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine
Iowa State University's College of Veterinary Medicine was established in 1879 and is the oldest veterinary college in the United States. Iowa State has graduated 6,400 veterinarians and is one of the largest veterinary research facilities in the nation....
colleges. ISU is the nation's first designated land-grant university
Land-grant university
Land-grant universities are institutions of higher education in the United States designated by each state to receive the benefits of the Morrill Acts of 1862 and 1890....
, and the birthplace of the Atanasoff-Berry Computer
Atanasoff-Berry Computer
The Atanasoff–Berry Computer was the first electronic digital computing device. Conceived in 1937, the machine was not programmable, being designed only to solve systems of linear equations. It was successfully tested in 1942...
, the world's first electronic digital computer. Ames hosts one of two national sites for the United States Department of Agriculture
United States Department of Agriculture
The United States Department of Agriculture is the United States federal executive department responsible for developing and executing U.S. federal government policy on farming, agriculture, and food...
's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture responsible for protecting animal health, animal welfare, and plant health. APHIS is the lead agency for collaboration with other agencies to protect U.S. agriculture from invasive pests and...
(APHIS) which comprises the National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) and the Center for Veterinary Biologics (CVB). Ames is also the home of the USDA's Agricultural Research Service's National Animal Disease Center (NADC). NADC is the largest federal animal disease center in the U.S., conducting research aimed at solving animal health and food safety problems faced by livestock producers and the public. Ames has the headquarters for the Iowa Department of Transportation
Iowa Department of Transportation
In the U.S. state of Iowa, the Iowa Department of Transportation is the state government organization responsible for the organization, construction, and maintenance of the primary highway system...
.
In 2010 Ames was ranked #9 on CNNMoney.com Best Places to Live list.
It is the site of the Ames Straw Poll
Ames Straw Poll
The Ames Straw Poll is a presidential straw poll taken by Iowa Republicans. It occurs in Ames, Iowa on the campus of Iowa State University, on a Saturday in August of years in an election cycle in which the Republican presidential nomination seems to be undecided...
, an important straw poll
Straw poll
A straw poll or straw vote is a vote with nonbinding results. Straw polls provide dialogue among movements within large groups, reflecting trends like organization and motivation...
in the Republican party presidential nomination process as well as the first in the nation Democratic and Republican caucuses (see Politics, below).
History
The city was founded in 1864 as a station stop on the Cedar Rapids and Missouri RailroadCedar Rapids and Missouri Railroad
The Cedar Rapids and Missouri Railroad was a railroad chartered to run from Cedar Rapids, Iowa to Council Bluffs, Iowa on the Missouri River. It was the first railroad to reach Council Bluffs, Iowa, the eastern terminus of the First Transcontinental Railroad. The city of Ames, Iowa was created as...
and was named after 19th century U.S. Congressman
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
Oakes Ames of Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, who was influential in the building of the transcontinental railroad. Ames was founded near a location that was deemed favorable for a railroad crossing of the Skunk River
Skunk River
The Skunk River is a tributary of the Mississippi River in the state of Iowa in the United States.It rises in two branches, the South Skunk and the North Skunk . The headwaters of the South Skunk are in Hamilton County in north central Iowa. It flows roughly due southward, to the west of...
.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 21.6 square miles (55.9 km²), of which 21.6 square miles (55.9 km²) is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) (0.09%) is water.
Ames is located on Interstate 35
Interstate 35
Interstate 35 is a north–south Interstate Highway in the central United States. I-35 stretches from Laredo, Texas, on the U.S.-Mexico border to Duluth, Minnesota, at Minnesota Highway 61 and 26th Avenue East. Many interstates used to have splits or spurs indicated with suffixed letters , but I-35...
, U.S. Route 30
U.S. Route 30
U.S. Route 30 is an east–west main route of the system of United States Numbered Highways, with the highway traveling across the northern tier of the country. It is the third longest U.S. route, after U.S. Route 20 and U.S. Route 6. The western end of the highway is at Astoria, Oregon; the...
& 69
U.S. Route 69
U.S. Route 69 is a north–south United States highway. When it was first created, it was only long, but it has since been expanded into a Minnesota to Texas cross-country route. The highway's southern terminus is in Port Arthur, Texas at an intersection with State Highway 87...
, and the cross country line of the Union Pacific Railroad
Union Pacific Railroad
The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....
, located roughly 30 miles (48.3 km) north of the state capital Des Moines
Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines is the capital and the most populous city in the US state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small portion of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines which was shortened to "Des Moines" in 1857...
. Two small rivers run through the town, the South Skunk River
Skunk River
The Skunk River is a tributary of the Mississippi River in the state of Iowa in the United States.It rises in two branches, the South Skunk and the North Skunk . The headwaters of the South Skunk are in Hamilton County in north central Iowa. It flows roughly due southward, to the west of...
and Squaw Creek.
Neighborhoods
Ames is made up of several distinct neighborhoods, including Allenview, Bentwood, Bloomington Heights, Broadmoor, Campustown, College Heights, College Park, Country Gables, Dauntless, Dayton Park, East Hickory Park, Gateway Green Hills, Gateway Hills, Hillside, Iowa State UniversityIowa State University
Iowa State University of Science and Technology, more commonly known as Iowa State University , is a public land-grant and space-grant research university located in Ames, Iowa, United States. Iowa State has produced astronauts, scientists, and Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners, along with a host of...
, Little Hollywood, Main Street Cultural District (Downtown Ames), Melrose Park, Northridge Heights, Northridge Parkway, Old Town Historic Preservation District, Ontario Heights, Parkview Heights, Ridgewood, Ringgenberg Park, Skycrest, Somerset, South Fork, South Gateway, Spring Valley, Stone Brooke, Sunset Ridge, and West Ames.
Campustown
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
Ames has a humid continental climateHumid continental climate
A humid continental climate is a climatic region typified by large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot summers and cold winters....
(Köppen climate classification
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
Dfa).
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 50,731 people, 18,085 households, and 8,970 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 2,352.3 people per square mile (908.1/km²). There were 18,757 housing units at an average density of 869.7 per square mile (335.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 87.34% White, 7.70% Asian, 2.65% African American, 0.04% American Indian, 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.
In the city, the population was spread out with 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
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
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
Combined Statistical Area
The United States Office of Management and Budget defines micropolitan and metropolitan statistical areas. Metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas consist of one or more counties...
that includes the Ames metropolitan area
Story County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 89,542 in the county, with a population density of . There were 36,789 housing units, of which 34,736 were occupied.-2000 census:...
(Story County) and the Boone micropolitan area
Boone County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 26,306 in the county, with a population density of . There were 11,756 housing units, of which 10,728 were occupied.-2000 census:...
(Boone County
Boone County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 26,306 in the county, with a population density of . There were 11,756 housing units, of which 10,728 were occupied.-2000 census:...
), which had a combined population of 106,205 at the 2000 census.
Economy
Ames is home of Iowa State UniversityIowa State University
Iowa State University of Science and Technology, more commonly known as Iowa State University , is a public land-grant and space-grant research university located in Ames, Iowa, United States. Iowa State has produced astronauts, scientists, and Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners, along with a host of...
of Science and Technology, a public land-grant and space-grant research university, and member of the prestigious American Association of Universities. At its founding in 1858, Iowa State was formerly 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
Ames strain
The Ames strain is one of 89 known strains of the anthrax bacterium . It was isolated from a diseased 14-month old Beefmaster heifer that died in Sarita, Texas in 1981. The strain was isolated at the Texas Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory and a sample was sent to the United States Army...
), the U.S. Department of Energy's Ames Laboratory
Ames Laboratory
Ames Laboratory is a United States Department of Energy national laboratory located in Ames, Iowa. The Laboratory conducts research into various areas of national concern, including the synthesis and study of new materials, energy resources, high-speed computer design, and environmental cleanup...
(a major materials research and development facility), and the main offices of the Iowa State Department of Transportation. State and Federal institutions are the largest employers in Ames.
Other area employers include a 3M
3M
3M Company , formerly known as the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation based in Maplewood, Minnesota, United States....
manufacturing plant; Sauer-Danfoss
Sauer-Danfoss
Sauer-Danfoss designs, manufactures, and markets engineered hydraulic and electronic systems and components for use primarily in applications of mobile equipment. The product range serves markets such as agriculture, construction, road building, material handling, municipal, forestry, turf care,...
, a hydraulics manufacturer; Barilla, a pasta manufacturer; and Ball, a manufacturer of canning jars and plastic bottles.
Arts and culture
Velma Wallace RaynessAmes, Iowa was home to Gerard M. and Velma Wallace Rayness.
Both artists taught art and were nationally recognized artists.
Their art was exhibited nationally as well as abroad.
Gerard died in the 1940's. Velma Wallace Rayness died in 1977.
Velma Wallace Rayness usually signed her paintings "V.W. Rayness"
Ames Historical Society
Brunnier Art Museum (Scheman Building)
Ames Public Library
- The Ames Public Library is a Carnegie libraryCarnegie libraryA Carnegie library is a library built with money donated by Scottish-American businessman and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. 2,509 Carnegie libraries were built between 1883 and 1929, including some belonging to public and university library systems...
founded on October 20, 1904. It currently has 1,386,273 items in circulations, including 799,349 books, and 586,924 multimedia items.
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. Also have the Annual National Juried Exhibition Clay, Fiber, Paper Glass Metal, Wood.
The Space for Ames
- Formally known as the Ames Progressive, The Space For Ames is a community space that serves as an art gallery, music venue and classroom for community workshops.
Popular culture
- The city is featured in the bestselling book The Girls from AmesThe Girls from Ames"The Girls from Ames" is a group of women from Ames, Iowa who were the subject of Jeffrey Zaslow's 2009 nonfiction bestseller about lifelong friendships. In the book, Zaslow chronicled eleven childhood friends who formed a special bond growing up in Ames...
written by Wall Street JournalThe Wall Street JournalThe Wall Street Journal is an American English-language international daily newspaper. It is published in New York City by Dow Jones & Company, a division of News Corporation, along with the Asian and European editions of the Journal....
columnist Jeffrey ZaslowJeffrey ZaslowJeffrey Zaslow is an American journalist and a columnist for The Wall Street Journal. He is also the author or coauthor of several bestselling books: The Last Lecture with Randy Pausch, Highest Duty: My Search for What Really Matters with Capt...
. It examines the lives and friendships of several young girls who grew up in Ames and have moved on with their adult lives but still remain close.
Sports
Iowa Sports Foundation.The Iowa State University
Iowa State University
Iowa State University of Science and Technology, more commonly known as Iowa State University , is a public land-grant and space-grant research university located in Ames, Iowa, United States. Iowa State has produced astronauts, scientists, and Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners, along with a host of...
Cyclones play a variety of sports in the Ames area. The Cyclone's football team plays at Jack Trice Stadium
Jack Trice Stadium
Jack Trice Stadium is a stadium, in Ames, Iowa, United States. It opened on September 20, 1975 making it the newest stadium in the Big 12 Conference...
near Ames. As well the Cyclones Men and Women's Basketball teams and Volleyball team play at Hilton Coliseum
Hilton Coliseum
James H. Hilton Coliseum is a 14,356-seat multi-purpose arena in Ames, Iowa. The arena opened in 1971. It is home to the Iowa State University Cyclones men's and women's basketball teams, wrestling, gymnastics and volleyball teams.-Overview:...
just across the street from Jack Trice Stadium. The Iowa State Cyclones are a charter member of the Big XII football conference in all sports and compete in NCAA Division I-A.
Parks and recreation
The Ames area has a large number of parks and arboretums spread throughout the town.Government
The city of Ames operates with a city council and manager system of government.Education
Public high school in Ames:Ames High School Grades: 9-12
Public elementary/middle schools in Ames:
- Northwood Elementary School
- Edwards Elementary
- Abbie Sawyer Elementary School
- Kate Mitchell Elementary School
- Meeker Elementary School
- Fellows Elementary School
- Ames Middle School
Private schools in Ames:
- Ames Christian School
- St Cecilia Elementary School
Iowa State University
The Iowa State UniversityIowa State University
Iowa State University of Science and Technology, more commonly known as Iowa State University , is a public land-grant and space-grant research university located in Ames, Iowa, United States. Iowa State has produced astronauts, scientists, and Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners, along with a host of...
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 has produced a number of astronauts, scientists, Nobel laureates, Pulitzer Prize
Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
winners, and a variety of other notable individuals in their respective fields. 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
Big 12 Conference
The Big 12 Conference is a college athletic conference of ten schools located in the Central United States, with its headquarters located in Las Colinas, a community in the Dallas, Texas suburb of Irving...
.
In 1856, the Iowa General Assembly
Iowa General Assembly
The Iowa General Assembly is the legislative branch of the state government of Iowa. Like the federal United States Congress, the General Assembly is a bicameral body, composed of the upper house Iowa Senate and the lower Iowa House of Representatives respectively...
enacted legislation to establish the State Agricultural College and Model Farm. Story County
Story County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 89,542 in the county, with a population density of . There were 36,789 housing units, of which 34,736 were occupied.-2000 census:...
was chosen as the location on June 21, 1859, from proposals by Johnson
Johnson County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 130,882 in the county, with a population density of . There were 55,967 housing units, of which 52,715 were occupied.-2000 census:...
, Kossuth
Kossuth County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 15,543 in the county, with a population density of . There were 7,486 housing units, of which 6,697 were occupied.-2000 census:...
, Marshall
Marshall County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 40,648 in the county, with a population density of . There were 16,831 housing units, of which 15,538 were occupied.-2000 census:...
, Polk
Polk County, Iowa
Polk County is a county located in the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 430,640 in the 2010 census, an increase from 374,601 in the 2000 census. The county seat is Des Moines, which is also the capital city of Iowa...
, and Story
Story County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 89,542 in the county, with a population density of . There were 36,789 housing units, of which 34,736 were occupied.-2000 census:...
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.
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
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
. Today, Iowa State has over 60 notable buildings, including Beardshear Hall
Beardshear Hall
Beardshear Hall is an administration building at Iowa State University located on Beardshear Road. The building was constructed in 1906 and was built completely out of stone and brick...
, Morrill Hall, Memorial Union
Memorial Union (Iowa State University)
The Memorial Union, or MU, at Iowa State University opened in September 1928, the building is currently home to a number of University departments, a bowling alley, the University Book Store, and the Hotel Memorial Union.-History:...
, Petrashek Auditorium, Catt Hall
Catt Hall
Catt Hall is an administrative building completed in 1893, at Iowa State University which currently houses the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies, and the Carrie Chapman Center for Women and Politics. The building is named for Carrie Chapman...
, Curtiss Hall, Carver Hall
Carver Hall
Carver Hall is an academic building completed in 1969 at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa to accommodate rapid increases in enrollment. It is named for George Washington Carver, who earned his bachelor's degree from Iowa State University in 1894 and his master's in 1896 and served on the Iowa...
, Parks Library, the Campanile
Campanile
Campanile is an Italian word meaning "bell tower" . The term applies to bell towers which are either part of a larger building or free-standing, although in American English, the latter meaning has become prevalent.The most famous campanile is probably the Leaning Tower of Pisa...
, Hilton Coliseum
Hilton Coliseum
James H. Hilton Coliseum is a 14,356-seat multi-purpose arena in Ames, Iowa. The arena opened in 1971. It is home to the Iowa State University Cyclones men's and women's basketball teams, wrestling, gymnastics and volleyball teams.-Overview:...
, C.Y. Stephens Auditorium, Fisher Theater, Jack Trice Stadium
Jack Trice Stadium
Jack Trice Stadium is a stadium, in Ames, Iowa, United States. It opened on September 20, 1975 making it the newest stadium in the Big 12 Conference...
, Lied Recreation Center, numerous residence halls, and many buildings specific to ISU's many different majors and colleges. Iowa State is home to 27,945 students (Fall 2009) and makes up approximately one half of the city's population.
The official mascot for ISU is Cy the Cardinal
Cy the Cardinal
-Origin of Cy:Since a cyclone was difficult to depict in costume, a cardinal was selected from the cardinal and gold of the official school colors. A cardinal-like bird was introduced at the 1954 homecoming pep rally. A contest was conducted to select a name for the mascot, and the winning entry...
. The official school colors are cardinal
Cardinal (color)
Cardinal is a vivid red, which gets its name from the cassocks worn by Catholic cardinals...
and gold
Gold (color)
Gold, also called golden, is one of a variety of orange-yellow color blends used to give the impression of the color of the element gold....
. The Iowa State Cyclones
Iowa State Cyclones
The Iowa State Cyclones are the athletic teams of Iowa State University. The university is a member of the Big 12 Conference and competes in NCAA Division I, fielding 16 varsity teams in 12 sports.*Men's sports...
play in the NCAA's Division I-A as a member of the Big 12 Conference
Big 12 Conference
The Big 12 Conference is a college athletic conference of ten schools located in the Central United States, with its headquarters located in Las Colinas, a community in the Dallas, Texas suburb of Irving...
.
Media
Online and Newsprint- Ames Tribune
- Iowa State Daily
Radio
Broadcast Television
Transportation
U.S. Route 30
U.S. Route 30 is an east–west main route of the system of United States Numbered Highways, with the highway traveling across the northern tier of the country. It is the third longest U.S. route, after U.S. Route 20 and U.S. Route 6. The western end of the highway is at Astoria, Oregon; the...
and 69
U.S. Route 69
U.S. Route 69 is a north–south United States highway. When it was first created, it was only long, but it has since been expanded into a Minnesota to Texas cross-country route. The highway's southern terminus is in Port Arthur, Texas at an intersection with State Highway 87...
and Interstate 35
Interstate 35
Interstate 35 is a north–south Interstate Highway in the central United States. I-35 stretches from Laredo, Texas, on the U.S.-Mexico border to Duluth, Minnesota, at Minnesota Highway 61 and 26th Avenue East. Many interstates used to have splits or spurs indicated with suffixed letters , but I-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.
Ames was serviced by the Fort Dodge, Des Moines and Southern Railroad via a branch from Kelley
Kelley, Iowa
Kelley is a city in Story County, Iowa United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 300. It is part of the 'Ames, Iowa Metropolitan Statistical Area', which is a part of the larger 'Ames-Boone, Iowa Combined Statistical Area'.-Geography:...
to Iowa State University 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
Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines is the capital and the most populous city in the US state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small portion of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines which was shortened to "Des Moines" in 1857...
. This line was removed in the 1980s when the Spine Line through Nevada
Nevada, Iowa
Nevada is a city in and the county seat of Story County, Iowa, United States. The population was 6,798 in the 2010 census, an increase from 6,658 in the 2000 census. It is also part of the 'Ames, Iowa Metropolitan Statistical Area', which is a part of the larger 'Ames-Boone, Iowa Combined...
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
Eagle Grove, Iowa
Eagle Grove is a city in Wright County, Iowa, United States. The population was 3,712 at the 2000 census. Eagle Grove is the largest city in Wright County.-Geography:Eagle Grove is located at near the Boone River....
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 has a municipal airport located 1 miles (1.6 km) southeast of the city. The current (and only) FBO is Hap's Air Service, a company which has been based at the airport since 1975. The airport has four runways – 01/19, which is 5700x100 feet, and 13/31, which is 3492x100 feet.
The City of Ames offers a transit system throughout town, called CyRide
Cyride
CyRide is a partnership between Iowa State University and Ames, Iowa. CyRide provides public transportation to the community throughout the city of Ames...
, that is funded jointly by Iowa State University, the ISU Government of the Student Body, and the City of Ames. Rider fares are subsidized through this funding, and are free to students and youth.
Ames has the headquarters of the Iowa Department of Transportation
Iowa Department of Transportation
In the U.S. state of Iowa, the Iowa Department of Transportation is the state government organization responsible for the organization, construction, and maintenance of the primary highway system...
.
Health care
Ames is served by Mary Greeley Medical CenterMary Greeley Medical Center
Mary Greeley Medical Center is a 220 bed regional referral center owned by the City of Ames, Iowa. Although city owned, no public funds are used for ongoing operations, and it operates much like a private hospital...
, 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.
Notable people
- John Vincent AtanasoffJohn Vincent AtanasoffJohn Vincent Atanasoff was an American physicist and inventor.The 1973 decision of the patent suit Honeywell v. Sperry Rand named him the inventor of the first automatic electronic digital computer...
and Clifford BerryClifford BerryClifford Edward Berry was an American inventor.Clifford Berry was born in Gladbrook, Iowa to Fred Gordon Berry and Grace Strohm...
, inventors of world's first electronic digital computer at Iowa State UniversityIowa State UniversityIowa State University of Science and Technology, more commonly known as Iowa State University , is a public land-grant and space-grant research university located in Ames, Iowa, United States. Iowa State has produced astronauts, scientists, and Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners, along with a host of...
from 1937–1942 - Kate AustenKate AustenKatherine Anne "Kate" Austen is a fictional character on the ABC television series Lost, played by Canadian actress Evangeline Lilly. She is the de facto female lead...
, fictional character from ABCAmerican Broadcasting CompanyThe American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
's LostLost (TV series)Lost is an American television series that originally aired on ABC from September 22, 2004 to May 23, 2010, consisting of six seasons. Lost is a drama series that follows the survivors of the crash of a commercial passenger jet flying between Sydney and Los Angeles, on a mysterious tropical island...
TV series; lived in Ames - Harrison BarnesHarrison BarnesHarrison Bryce-Jordan Barnes is an American college basketball player. He is a sophomore at North Carolina and was one of the top rated basketball players in the class of 2010. Barnes is sometimes known by the nickname "Black Falcon."...
, #1 ranked high school basketball recruit in the class of 2010; 2010 Ames HS graduate - Robert Bartley, editorial page editor of The Wall Street JournalThe Wall Street JournalThe Wall Street Journal is an American English-language international daily newspaper. It is published in New York City by Dow Jones & Company, a division of News Corporation, along with the Asian and European editions of the Journal....
and a Presidential Medal of FreedomPresidential Medal of FreedomThe Presidential Medal of Freedom is an award bestowed by the President of the United States and is—along with thecomparable Congressional Gold Medal bestowed by an act of U.S. Congress—the highest civilian award in the United States...
recipient; raised in Ames and ISU graduate - Ruth BascomRuth BascomRuth Bascom was an American politician who served as the first female Mayor of Eugene, Oregon from 1993 until 1996.As Mayor, Bascom worked to revitalize downtown Eugene...
, mayor of Eugene, Oregon - Juan Sebastián BoteroJuan Sebastián BoteroJuan Sebastián Botero, born in Ames, Iowa to Colombian parents, is a soccer midfielder.-Football career:Botero and his family moved to Colombia when he was one year old, and he joined the Independiente Medellín youth system at age 13. He made his professional first team debut for Medellin at age...
, soccer player - Wally BrunerWally BrunerWally Bruner was an American journalist and television host. He covered Congress and the Lyndon Johnson administration for ABC News in the 1960s...
, ABC NewsABC NewsABC News is the news gathering and broadcasting division of American broadcast television network ABC, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company...
television host - John E. BuckJohn E. BuckJohn Buck is an American sculptor and printmaker who was born in Ames, Iowa. He received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Kansas City Art Institute in 1968, and in 1971, he studied at Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture in Skowhegan, Maine...
, sculptor - George Washington CarverGeorge Washington CarverGeorge Washington Carver , was an American scientist, botanist, educator, and inventor. The exact day and year of his birth are unknown; he is believed to have been born into slavery in Missouri in January 1864....
, inventor; Iowa State University alumnus and professor - Carrie Chapman CattCarrie Chapman CattCarrie Chapman Catt was a women's suffrage leader who campaigned for the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution which gave U.S. women the right to vote in 1920...
, women's rights activist and suffragist; founder of League of Women VotersLeague of Women VotersThe League of Women Voters is an American political organization founded in 1920 by Carrie Chapman Catt during the last meeting of the National American Woman Suffrage Association approximately six months before the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution gave women the right to vote...
; ISU graduate - Laurel Blair Salton Clark, astronautAstronautAn astronaut or cosmonaut is a person trained by a human spaceflight program to command, pilot, or serve as a crew member of a spacecraft....
; died on STS-107STS-107-Mission parameters:*Mass:**Orbiter Liftoff: **Orbiter Landing: **Payload: *Perigee: *Apogee: *Inclination: 39.0°*Period: 90.1 min- Insignia :... - Kip CorringtonKip CorringtonKip Alan Corrington is a former American football player. After playing college football at Texas A&M University, he spent two seasons in the NFL with the Denver Broncos. Corrington was a three-time Academic All-American as well as a two-time all-SWC safety in college. He is currently a family...
, NFL player - Ann CottenAnn Cotten-Life and Work:At the age of five years Ann Cotten was taken by her parents, who are both biochemists, to Vienna, where they went for work.There she finished university in 2006 with a work about Concrete Poetry. At the same time she first emerged as a poet at poetry slams...
, poet; born in Ames; grew up in ViennaViennaVienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre... - John DarnielleJohn DarnielleJohn Darnielle is an American musician, best known as the primary member of the American band The Mountain Goats, for which he is the writer, composer, guitarist, and vocalist.-Places Darnielle has lived:...
, musician from indie rock band The Mountain GoatsThe Mountain GoatsThe Mountain Goats is an American indie rock band formed in Claremont, CA by singer-songwriter John Darnielle. For many years, the sole member of the Mountain Goats was Darnielle himself, despite the plural moniker....
; former Ames resident - David M. DobsonDavid M. DobsonDavid M. Dobson was raised in Ames, Iowa. He is a software developer and an associate professor of geology and earth sciences at Guilford College. He is most notable for being the creator of Snood, a clone of the arcade game Puzzle Bobble/Bust a Move, and other games including Snoodoku, a Sudoku...
, creator of SnoodSnood (video game)Snood is a puzzle video game created in 1996 by David M. Dobson. Today, versions exist for a variety of platforms, including Windows, Mac OS, Palm OS, and other systems, including unofficially on the TI-83 and TI-84 calculators....
video game; grew up in Ames - Charles W. "Chuck" Durham, civil engineer; philanthropist; civic leader; and former CEO and Chairman Emeritus of HDR, Inc.HDR, Inc.HDR Inc. is an employee-owned architectural, engineering and consulting firm based in Omaha, Nebraska, USA. HDR has worked on projects in all 50 U.S. states and in 60 countries, including notable projects such as the Hoover Dam Bypass, TD Ameritrade Park Omaha, and the The Roslin Institute building...
; raised in Ames - Envy Corps, indie rock band
- Jane EspensonJane EspensonJane Espenson is an American script writer and television producer who has worked on both situation comedies and serial dramas. She had a five-year stint as a writer and producer on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and shared a Hugo Award for her writing on the episode "Conversations with Dead People"...
, writer and producer for television, including Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Star Trek: The Next GenerationStar Trek: The Next GenerationStar Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production...
, grew up in Ames - Brian EvensonBrian EvensonBrian Evenson is an American academic and writer of both literary fiction and popular fiction. He has received degrees from Brigham Young University and the University of Washington . After leaving a teaching position at BYU, he held positions at Oklahoma State University, Syracuse University...
, authorAuthorAn author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:... - Dan GableDan GableDan Gable is an American amateur wrestler. He is famous for having only lost one match in his entire Iowa State University collegiate career—his last, and winning gold at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, Germany while not giving up a single point...
, U.S. Olympic gold medalist, NCAA wrestling champion; distinguished coach; and ISU alumnus - Michael GartnerMichael GartnerMichael Gartner is an American journalist and businessman. He was President of the Iowa Board of Regents. He is a graduate of Carleton College and the New York University School of Law....
, former president of NBC NewsNBC NewsNBC News is the news division of American television network NBC. It first started broadcasting in February 21, 1940. NBC Nightly News has aired from Studio 3B, located on floors 3 of the NBC Studios is the headquarters of the GE Building forms the centerpiece of 30th Rockefeller Center it is...
; retired to own and publish the Ames TribuneAmes TribuneThe Tribune is a newspaper published Tuesday through Sunday based in Ames, Iowa. The newspaper is owned by Las Vegas-based company Stephens Media. Its publisher, Geoff Schumacher, replaced Tom Stallbaumer, who replaced John Goossen, who left in November 2010 when Stephens purchased the Tribune from... - Leslie HallLeslie HallLeslie Merritt Hall is an American satirical rap artist and front-woman for the band Leslie and the LY's and the operator of a "gem sweater museum"....
, electronic rap musician/Gem Sweater collector, born in Ames in 1981. - Terry HoageTerry HoageTerrell Lee "Terry" Hoage is a former football defensive back for the University of Georgia from 1980 – 1983 and several National Football League teams. He was a two time consensus All-American and graduated from Georgia in 1985 with a B.S. in Genetics with a 3.85 GPA...
, NFL player - Fred HoibergFred HoibergFredrick Kristian Hoiberg is the head men's basketball coach at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa, where he grew up and had played college basketball...
, retired NBA basketball player; raised in Ames, ISU graduate and current ISU basketball coach - Jake JohannsenJake JohannsenJake Johannsen is an American comedian.Johannsen attended Iowa State University in the early 1980s, originally majoring in veterinary medicine, and then later changing to chemical engineering. He left after three years in college and relocated to San Francisco, California in order to pursue a...
, comedian-actor; attended ISU for three years - Ted KooserTed KooserTed Kooser is an American poet. He served as Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress from 2004 to 2006.-Early Life:...
, U.S. Poet LaureatePoet LaureateA poet laureate is a poet officially appointed by a government and is often expected to compose poems for state occasions and other government events...
; raised in Ames and ISU graduate - Margaret LloydMargaret LloydMargaret Lloyd is an American soprano who is particularly known for her performances in contemporary operas and concert works. She has sung in the world premieres of several operas, most notably portraying the role of Lightfoot McClendon in the premiere of Carlisle Floyd's Cold Sassy Tree at the...
, Opera Singer - Edward MezvinskyEdward MezvinskyEdward "Ed" Mezvinsky is a former congressman. A Democrat, he represented Iowa's 1st congressional district in the United States House of Representatives for two terms, from 1973 to 1977....
, former US Congressman who lead the impeachment of Richard NixonRichard NixonRichard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
and father-in-law of Chelsea ClintonChelsea ClintonChelsea Victoria Clinton is a television journalist, currently serving as Special Correspondent for NBC News, and philanthropist, working through the Clinton Global Initiative. She is the only child of former U.S...
; raised in Ames - Neva MorrisNeva MorrisNeva Morris was an American supercentenarian. At the age of 114 years, 246 days, she was the oldest verified living person in the United States following the death of 114-year-old Mary Josephine Ray and the last known American born surviving from 1895...
, At her death (2010) second oldest person in the world and oldest American at the age of 114 years, lived in Ames her entire life - Yong Chin PakYong Chin PakYong Chin Pak is an 8th dan taekwondo master and adjunct instructor in Exercise Sport Science and has been instructing students in the martial arts at Iowa State University since 1973...
, ISU martial arts instructor and Pan-Am and Goodwill GamesGoodwill GamesThe Goodwill Games was an international sports competition, created by Ted Turner in reaction to the political troubles surrounding the Olympic Games of the 1980s...
coach - Sara ParetskySara ParetskySara Paretsky is a modern American author of detective fiction.-Life and career:Paretsky was born in Ames, Iowa and raised in Kansas, graduating from the University of Kansas with a degree in political science. She did community service work on the south side of Chicago in 1966 and returned in...
, author of the V.I. Warshawski mysteries; born in Ames in 1947 - Velma Wallace RaynessVelma Wallace RaynessVelma Wallace Rayness was a prolific artist, author, and instructor living in Iowa in the United States of America.Velma Wallace-Rayness was born October 31, 1896 in Davenport Iowa in the United States of America. Velma Wallace Rayness was a daughter to William W...
(1896–1977) author and artist, Painted "Roof Tops in Fall" - Christine RomansChristine RomansChristine Romans is a correspondent and anchor for CNN. She previously worked for Reuters and Knight Ridder Financial News. She is a co-host with Ali Velshi on the weekend business TV show Your $$$$$ and is a business correspondent for American Morning. She is from Iowa and graduated from Iowa...
, CNN business news anchor; 1993 ISU graduate - Cael SandersonCael SandersonCael Norman Sanderson , is considered one of the greatest American amateur wrestlers of all time. A 2004 Olympic champion in Athens, Greece, he went undefeated in four years of college wrestling at Iowa State University , winning four consecutive NCAA titles...
, U.S. Olympic gold medalist; undefeated, four-time NCAA wrestling champion; former ISU wrestling coach and alumnus - Peter SchickelePeter SchickeleJohann Peter Schickele is an American composer, musical educator, and parodist. He is best known for his comedy music albums featuring his music that he presents as music written by the fictional composer P. D. Q...
, musician; born in Ames in 1935 - Dan ShechtmanDan ShechtmanDan Shechtman is the Philip Tobias Professor of Materials Science at the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, an Associate of the US Department of Energy's Ames Laboratory, and Professor of Materials Science at Iowa State University. On April 8, 1982, while on sabbatical at the U.S...
, awarded 2011 Nobel Prize in ChemistryNobel Prize in ChemistryThe Nobel Prize in Chemistry is awarded annually by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences to scientists in the various fields of chemistry. It is one of the five Nobel Prizes established by the will of Alfred Nobel in 1895, awarded for outstanding contributions in chemistry, physics, literature,...
for "the discovery of quasicrystals"; Professor of Materials Science at Iowa State University (2004-present) and Associate at the Department of Energy's Ames LaboratoryAmes LaboratoryAmes Laboratory is a United States Department of Energy national laboratory located in Ames, Iowa. The Laboratory conducts research into various areas of national concern, including the synthesis and study of new materials, energy resources, high-speed computer design, and environmental cleanup... - Jane SmileyJane SmileyJane Smiley is a Pulitzer Prize-winning American novelist.-Biography:Born in Los Angeles, California, Smiley grew up in Webster Groves, Missouri, a suburb of St. Louis, and graduated from John Burroughs School. She obtained an A.B. at Vassar College, then earned an M.F.A. and Ph.D. from the...
, Pulitzer PrizePulitzer PrizeThe Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
-winning novelist; former instructor at ISU (1981–1996); used ISU as the basis for her novel MooMoo (novel)Moo is a 1995 novel by Jane Smiley. It is set in the American Midwest on the fictional campus of Moo University during the 1989-1990 academic year... - Brian SmithBrian Smith (photographer)Brian Smith is an American photographer best known for his celebrity portrait photography. Born in Ames, Iowa, he got his start in photography while a high school swimmer photographing swimming and other sports as a stringer for the Ames Daily Tribune...
, photographer; grew up in Ames - Ken Smith, architect; ISU graduate in landscape architecture
- George W. SnedecorGeorge W. SnedecorGeorge Waddel Snedecor was an American mathematician and statistician. He contributed to the foundations of analysis of variance, data analysis, experimental design, and statistical methodology. Snedecor's F distribution and the George W...
, statistician; founder of first academic department of statistics in the United States at Iowa State University - Ghassan El-Farhan Halloush, Engineering Scientist, Entrepreneur, Founder: ALLTRANS Engineering. ISU Graduate.
- Neal StephensonNeal StephensonNeal Town Stephenson is an American writer known for his works of speculative fiction.Difficult to categorize, his novels have been variously referred to as science fiction, historical fiction, cyberpunk, and postcyberpunk...
, author; grew up in Ames - Evan StoneEvan StoneEvan Stone is an American pornographic actor. In 2002 he married Jessica Drake whom he has since divorced.Stone's occasional work outside the pornography industry includes his role as "Jimmy" in the 2007 original series The Lair...
, Pornographic actorPornographic actorA pornographic actor/actress or a porn star is a person who appears in pornographic film. Most actors appear nude in films... - Billy SundayBilly SundayWilliam Ashley "Billy" Sunday was an American athlete who, after being a popular outfielder in baseball's National League during the 1880s, became the most celebrated and influential American evangelist during the first two decades of the 20th century.Born into poverty in Iowa, Sunday spent some...
, evangelist and Major League BaseballMajor League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
player; born in Ames in 1863 - Jamal Tinsley, NBA player for Memphis GrizzliesMemphis GrizzliesThe Memphis Grizzlies are a professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. The team is part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Along with the Toronto Raptors, the Grizzlies were established in 1995 as part of the NBA's...
; former ISU player - Fred TisueFred TisueFrederick "Fred" Ernest Tisue is an American water polo player who competed in the 1960 Summer Olympics.He was born in Ames, Iowa....
, Olympian water poloWater poloWater polo is a team water sport. The playing team consists of six field players and one goalkeeper. The winner of the game is the team that scores more goals. Game play involves swimming, treading water , players passing the ball while being defended by opponents, and scoring by throwing into a...
player - Bob WalkupBob WalkupRobert E. Walkup is the mayor of Tucson, Arizona. Mayor Walkup is a member of the Republican Party.-Career:...
, mayorMayorIn many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Tucson, ArizonaTucson, ArizonaTucson is a city in and the county seat of Pima County, Arizona, United States. The city is located 118 miles southeast of Phoenix and 60 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border. The 2010 United States Census puts the city's population at 520,116 with a metropolitan area population at 1,020,200... - The Girls from AmesThe Girls from Ames"The Girls from Ames" is a group of women from Ames, Iowa who were the subject of Jeffrey Zaslow's 2009 nonfiction bestseller about lifelong friendships. In the book, Zaslow chronicled eleven childhood friends who formed a special bond growing up in Ames...
, a group of women from Ames who are the subject of Jeffrey ZaslowJeffrey ZaslowJeffrey Zaslow is an American journalist and a columnist for The Wall Street Journal. He is also the author or coauthor of several bestselling books: The Last Lecture with Randy Pausch, Highest Duty: My Search for What Really Matters with Capt...
's 2009 nonfiction bestseller
Politics
Iowa is a "battleground state" that has trended slightly DemocraticDemocratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
in recent years, and Ames, like Iowa City, also trends Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
. Because Iowa is the first caucus state and Ames is a college town
College town
A college town or university town is a community which is dominated by its university population...
, it is the site of many political appearances, debates and events, especially during election years.
During every August in which the Republican presidential nomination is undecided (meaning there is no incumbent Republican president—as in, most recently, 2011, 2007, 1999, 1995 and 1987), the town plays host to the Ames Straw Poll
Ames Straw Poll
The Ames Straw Poll is a presidential straw poll taken by Iowa Republicans. It occurs in Ames, Iowa on the campus of Iowa State University, on a Saturday in August of years in an election cycle in which the Republican presidential nomination seems to be undecided...
, which gauges support for the various Republican candidates amongst attendees of a fundraising
Fundraising
Fundraising or fund raising is the process of soliciting and gathering voluntary contributions as money or other resources, by requesting donations from individuals, businesses, charitable foundations, or governmental agencies...
dinner benefiting the Iowa Republican Party
Republican Party of Iowa
The Republican Party of Iowa is the affiliate of the United States Republican Party in Iowa. The State Central Committee is led by Chairman Matt Strawn and Co-Chairman Bill Schickel...
. The straw poll dates back to 1979, and is frequently seen as a first test of organizational strength in Iowa by the national media and party insiders; as such, it can be very beneficial for a candidate to win the straw poll and thus enhance the candidate's aura of inevitability or show off a superior field operation.
External links
- Official Ames City Website
- The Main Street Cultural District
- City Data Detailed Statistical Data and more about Ames