AMES HISTORY
Iowa was established as a state in 1846. Prior to the settlement of Iowa, the Ames area was home to the Sac and Fox Indians, also called the Mesquakie. In 1858, the state of Iowa chartered land for a model farm and agricultural college in an undeveloped area which is today Iowa State University. It was the first public college established in the nation. In 1864, Ames was selected as a railway stop since the two rivers running through the area provided ample water for refilling steam engines. Trains still travel through Ames daily on what is now the Union Pacific railroad. In 1904, a state highway commission was established in Ames. The Iowa Department of Transportation remains as one of the largest employers in Ames. After World War II, the G.I. Bill enabled thousands of returning veterans to attend college. Between the years of 1945 to 1946, attendance grew at Iowa State from 3400 to 9200. The university has continued to grow and in 2010 a new enrollment record was set of over 28,000 students. The city of Ames has also grown steadily since 1940 when the population was only 10,500.
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