Welcome to the Ames Progressive where we provide fascinating information for both tourists and local community members.

Here’s what you need to know:

In central Iowa lies the city of Ames, located at least thirty miles north of Des Moines. Many people recognize this town as the home of Iowa State University. This institution excels in design, agriculture, veterinary medicine, and engineering. In it, you will find the Ames and the US Department of Energy laboratories. If you live in the area and are looking for a great place where you can invest in your or your loved one’s education, this is the place to be.

More about our city

History of Ames, Iowa

History of Ames

Want to know how the city of Ames came to be as well as interesting facts about it since its inception? Read on for intriguing details

Government

Ames Government

The city council comprises the mayor and six council members. Let’s take a further look at the members of government

Latest Ames, Iowa related news

Latest local news

Are you in the know regarding what’s taking place in Ames? Here are the latest news on the same.

Some Ames Insights:

Based on a census conducted back in 2017, Ames had a population of 66,498 people. Interestingly, half of this population owed to the high number of students at the university as they made up 36,321 people. The median age stands at about twenty-four years, with at least forty percent of the population comprising people aged 18-24.

Other than this major university, this city is also home to the US Department of Agriculture National Animal Disease Center which happens to be the biggest animal disease center in the US. Thus, if you ever wondered who you have to thank for the innovations that have been of help to your farm animals, now you know.

Additionally, Ames is also home to the Animal and Plant Inspection Service which encompasses veterinary labs and biologics. Furthermore, it is the main headquarters for the Department of Transportation in Iowa. Regarding whether it provides a great work-life balance, this city ranks high in the best places to live, according to statistics by CNNMoney.

History and Location

This city is not all that old and only came to be in the nineteenth century, in 1864. It started as a station stop which provided an ideal railroad crossing of the Skunk River. The city got its name from Oakes Ames, who was the then-congressman of Massachusetts. As he was quite influential in the construction of the railroad, it got deemed fit that he should get the honor.

Ames lies towards the west of Story County, also in Iowa, close to the intersection of Route 30 and Interstate 35. There is a small route that runs through the city, known as Route 69. Other transport means in the town include the Union Pacific Railroad as well as the Squaw Creek and the South Skunk River. The town currently occupies sixty-two point eight six square kilometers. Of these, only zero point one six comprise water. The rest of the coverage is of land.

Ames, Iowa Location

Living in Ames allows you to experience a wide range of activities. Take the example of campustown or the game rooms where you can play blackjack online. This area lies to the south of the campus, and it features high-density housing. Here, you can find student homes, most of which are apartments, as well as clubs, eateries and a wide range of establishments that serve the needs of the population in the neighborhood. It is also an ideal place for young people working in the area.

Sports Teams

are trully making us proud

Iowa State Athletics

For the men, the teams are as follows: basketball, cross country, football, golf, wrestling, and track & field. For the women, the options are as follows: basketball, cross country, golf, gymnastics, soccer, softball, tennis, track & field, volleyball, and swimming & diving.

One of the teams that have had people talking for decades has been the Iowa States Cyclones football team. Let’s take a look at it:

Iowa State Cyclones Football

This team represents Iowa State University (ISU). It is currently under Matt Campbell who has proven to be a reliable coach. As things stand, the team is in Division 1 Football Bowl Subdivision, and it competes in the Big 12 Conference. It plays at home at the Jack Trice Stadium which presently has a capacity of 61,500 people.

Football started at the campus back in 1878. At the time, the participants looked at it as a recreational sport, and it remained so until 1892 when the first organized team came to be. The team went on to represent the campus in competitions outside the institution. Two years after the first official team came together, the then president of the school, William Beardshear, came up with an association whose aim was to govern football teams in Iowa State. At this time, the team came out on top with a 6-1 mark, having beaten the University of Iowa 16-8.

Iowa State Football

Pop Warner is a legend when it comes to football, and he had quite a hand in the development of the team. In 1895, he was working as a coach in Georgia. When Pop got the chance to spend some time with the young team over the week, he agreed to it. As such, he would get twenty-five dollars each week which enabled him to not only offer the team members advice but also help them much in their practice sessions. At the time, the season for Iowa State would start towards the mid of August while that in Georgia would begin a month later.

His efforts in the team were evident when Iowa State beat Northwestern 36-0 which surprise some of the leading betting companies. Headlines in the times that followed served to point at that impressive win with the Chicago Tribune citing ‘Struck by a Cyclone.’ If you ever wondered how the name cyclones came to stick, this was the defining moment. The team won three times, though it suffered three losses in the season. Seeing how well the performance was, the team retained Pop for another season. He was able to lead the team to more wins, but none proved to be as exceptional as the 1896 triumph.

Both the men’s and women’s sports teams have what it takes to have you cheering your best team on as you chant and heap praises on the team members to help them win. Want to know what teams are battling it out this season? Have a look here

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When should You visit Ames?

The weather is quite humid in this town as the climate falls under the humid continental climate classification, based on Koppen. The ideal time to visit the city would be in July when the temperatures are at their highest. For visitors, it is probably a good idea to avoid scheduling your tours around January as the temperatures tend to be at their lowest in this month. They’ve been known to hit record lows of -28 degrees Fahrenheit, as was the case in 1996. The highest ever recorded temperature in the region stands at thirty-nine degrees Celsius.