Ames Iowa: Encyclopedia - Ames Iowa

Ames, Iowa

Ames is a city located in Story County, Iowa. As of the 2000 Census, the city had a total population of 50,731. The city 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. It is located roughly 30 miles (48 km) north of the state capital Des Moines. Two small rivers run through the town: the Skunk River and Squaw Creek.

Ames is home of Iowa State University of Science & Technology, a space grant college, at its founding, the state's (Morrill Act) land-grant university, 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, 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; Pella a window manufacturer; and Ball, a manufacturer of canning jars and plastic bottles.

Ames Iowa - Geography

Ames is located at 42°1'38" North, 93°37'54" West (42.027335, -93.631586)^GR1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 55.9 km² (21.6 mi²). 55.9 km² (21.6 mi²) of it is land and 0.1 km² (0.04 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 0.09% water.

Ames Iowa - Demographics

As of the 2000 Census, there are 50,731 people, 18,085 households, and 8,970 families residing in the city. The population density is 908.1/km² (2,352.3/mi²). There are 18,757 housing units at an average density of 335.7/km² (869.7/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 87.34% White, 7.70% Asian, 2.65% African American, 1.98% Hispanic American or Latino of any race, 0.15% Native American, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.76% from other races, and 1.36% from two or more races.

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

In the city the population is 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 are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 24 years. For every 100 females there are 109.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 109.9 males.

A large number of ames residents are university students. In 2004, for example, there were 26,390 students enrolled at Iowa State.

The median income for a household in the city is $36,042, and the median income for a family is $56,439. Males have a median income of $37,877 versus $28,198 for females. The per capita income for the city is $18,881. 20.4% of the population and 7.6% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 9.2% of those under the age of 18 and 4.1% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

Ames Iowa - Important events

Prof. John V. Atanasoff and his graduate student, Clifford Berry, are now credited with the creation of the first true electronic digital computer in the basement of the physics department during the years 1937-1942. The Atanasoff/Berry computer used binary arithmetic circuits, regenerative memory, and logic circuits. These seminal ideas were communicated by Atanasoff to John Mauchly during a visit to Iowa State in the 1940s who then used them in the design of the better-known ENIAC built some years later.

Ames has been selected to host the first National Special Olympics in 2006 (summer).

Ada Hayden Heritage Park opened in summer of 2004. It lies west of US 69 just north of Ames. It is a large park complex featuring two connected lakes (former quarries) and walking/biking trails.

Ames Iowa - Points of interest

• Reiman Gardens
• Jack Trice Stadium

Ames Iowa - People

• Neal Stephenson, Author, grew up in Ames, Iowa
• Peter Schickele, Musician, was born in Ames, Iowa
• George Washington Carver, Inventor, was an alumni and a professor at ISU.

Ames Iowa - Events

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Ames Iowa", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki