Ames
—  City  —
Clockwise from top: Main Street in downtown Ames, Iowa State University Alumni Hall, Marston Water Tower and Hoover Hall at ISU, Reiman Gardens, a train station in Ames, and Beardshear Hall.
Location in the State of Iowa
Coordinates: 42°02′05″N 93°37′12″W / 42.03472°N 93.62°W / 42.03472; -93.62Coordinates: 42°02′05″N 93°37′12″W / 42.03472°N 93.62°W / 42.03472; -93.62
Country	United States
State	Iowa
County	Story
Incorporated	1864
Government
• Mayor	Ann Campbell
Area
• City	21.58 sq mi (55.9 km2)
• Land	21.57 sq mi (55.9 km2)
• Water	0.01 sq mi (0.0 km2)
Elevation	942 ft (287 m)
Population (2010)[1][2]
• City	58,965
• Rank	8th in Iowa
• Density	2,390.2/sq mi (908.2/km2)
• Metro	89,542 (estimate based on Story Count)
Time zone	CST (UTC-6)
• Summer (DST)	CDT (UTC-5)
ZIP code(s)™	50010, 50011-50013 (UNIQUE ZIP Codes™-for Iowa State University), 50014
GNIS feature ID	0454167
Website	http://www.cityofames.org/

Ames is a city located in the central part of the U.S. state of Iowa in Story County, and approximately 30 miles (48 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 (13 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,^[3] and the birthplace of the Atanasoff-Berry Computer, the world's first electronic digital computer.^[4] 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).^[5] Ames is also the home of the USDA's Agricultural Research Service's National Animal Disease Center (NADC).^[6] 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. ^[7]

History[link]

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. Ames was founded near a location that was deemed favorable for a railroad crossing of the Skunk River.

Geography[link]

According to the United States Census Bureau, 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 miles (0.1 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 km) north of the state capital Des Moines. Two small rivers run through the town, the South Skunk River and Squaw Creek.

Neighborhoods[link]

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 University, 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[link]

This section requires expansion.

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[link]

Ames has a humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification Dfa).

Demographics[link]

As of the census of 2000,^[9] 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.

Metropolitan area[link]

Location of the Ames-Boone CSA and its components:

  Ames Metropolitan Statistical Area

  Boone Micropolitan Statistical Area

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),^[10][11][12] which had a combined population of 106,205 at the 2000 census.^[9]

Economy[link]

Ames is home of Iowa State University 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.

Arts and culture[link]

This section requires expansion.

Velma Wallace Rayness 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 1940s. Velma Wallace Rayness died in 1977. Velma Wallace Rayness usually signed her paintings "V.W. Rayness"

Ames Historical Society

Collects, preserves, and provides access to evidence of the history of Ames and its immediate vicinity from pre-settlement times to the present^[13]

Brunnier Art Museum (Scheman Building)

Ames Public Library

The Ames Public Library is a Carnegie library^[14] founded on October 20, 1904.^[15] It currently has 1,386,273 items in circulations, including 799,349 books, and 586,924 multimedia items.^[16]

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.^[17]

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.^[18]

Popular culture[link]

• The city is featured in the bestselling book The Girls from Ames written by Wall Street Journal columnist Jeffrey Zaslow. 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[link]

This section requires expansion.

Iowa Sports Foundation.

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 12 Conference in all sports and compete in NCAA Division I-A.

Parks and recreation[link]

This section requires expansion.

The Ames area has a large number of parks and arboretums spread throughout the town.

Education[link]

This section requires expansion.

Public high school in Ames

Ames High School Grades: 9-12

Public elementary/middle schools in Ames

• 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[link]

The 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 has produced a number of astronauts, scientists, Nobel laureates, Pulitzer Prize winners, and a variety of other notable individuals in their respective fields.^{[citation needed]} 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.^[3]

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. Iowa State is home to 28,080 students (Spring 2012)^[19] 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.

Media[link]

This section requires expansion.

Online and Newsprint

• Ames Tribune
• Iowa State Daily

Radio

• KURE
• WOI-FM
• WOI (AM)
• KPXI
• KLTI-FM
• KCCQ
• 1430KASI

Infrastructure[link]

Transportation[link]

City power plant at night

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-mile (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 5,700 by 100 feet (1,700 × 30 m), and 13/31, which is 3,492 by 100 feet (1,064 × 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 subsidized through this funding, and are free to students and children under five.

Ames has the headquarters of the Iowa Department of Transportation.^[20]

Utilities[link]

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Health care[link]

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.

Notable people[link]

• John Vincent Atanasoff and Clifford Berry, inventors of world's first electronic digital computer ^[21] at Iowa State University from 1937–1942
• Kate Austen, fictional character from ABC's Lost TV series; lived in Ames
• Harrison Barnes, #1 ranked high school basketball recruit in the class of 2010; 2010 Ames HS graduate
• Robert Bartley, editorial page editor of The Wall Street Journal and a Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient; raised in Ames and ISU graduate
• Ruth Bascom, mayor of Eugene, Oregon
• Juan Sebastián Botero, soccer player
• Wally Bruner, ABC News television host
• John E. Buck, sculptor
• George Washington Carver, inventor; Iowa State University alumnus and professor
• Carrie Chapman Catt, women's rights activist and suffragist; founder of League of Women Voters; ISU graduate
• Laurel Blair Salton Clark, astronaut; died on STS-107
• Kip Corrington, NFL player
• Ann Cotten, poet; born in Ames; grew up in Vienna
• John Darnielle, musician from indie rock band The Mountain Goats; former Ames resident
• David M. Dobson, creator of Snood video game; grew up in Ames
• Charles W. "Chuck" Durham, civil engineer; philanthropist; civic leader; and former CEO and Chairman Emeritus of HDR, Inc.; raised in Ames
• Envy Corps, indie rock band
• Jane Espenson, writer and producer for television, including Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Star Trek: The Next Generation, grew up in Ames
• Brian Evenson, author
• Dan Gable, U.S. Olympic gold medalist, NCAA wrestling champion; distinguished coach; and ISU alumnus
• Michael Gartner, former president of NBC News; retired to own and publish the Ames Tribune
• Leslie Hall, electronic rap musician/Gem Sweater collector, born in Ames in 1981.
• Terry Hoage, NFL player
• Fred Hoiberg, retired NBA basketball player; raised in Ames, ISU graduate and current ISU basketball coach
• Jake Johannsen, comedian-actor; attended ISU for three years
• Ted Kooser, U.S. Poet Laureate; raised in Ames and ISU graduate
• Margaret Lloyd, Opera Singer
• Edward Mezvinsky, former US Congressman who led the impeachment of Richard Nixon and father-in-law of Chelsea Clinton; raised in Ames
• Neva Morris, 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 Pak, ISU martial arts instructor and Pan-Am and Goodwill Games coach
• Sara Paretsky, author of the V.I. Warshawski mysteries; born in Ames in 1947
• Velma Wallace Rayness (1896–1977) author and artist, Painted "Roof Tops in Fall" ^[22]
• Christine Romans, CNN business news anchor; 1993 ISU graduate
• Cael Sanderson, U.S. Olympic gold medalist; undefeated, four-time NCAA wrestling champion; former ISU wrestling coach and alumnus
• Peter Schickele, musician; born in Ames in 1935
• 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
• Jane Smiley, Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist; former instructor at ISU (1981–1996); used ISU as the basis for her novel Moo
• Brian Smith, photographer; grew up in Ames
• Ken Smith, architect; ISU graduate in landscape architecture
• George W. Snedecor, 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 Stephenson, author; grew up in Ames
• Evan Stone, Pornographic actor
• Billy Sunday, evangelist and Major League Baseball player; born in Ames in 1863
• Jamal Tinsley, NBA player for Memphis Grizzlies; former ISU player
• Fred Tisue, Olympian water polo player
• Bob Walkup, mayor of Tucson, Arizona
• The Girls from Ames, a group of women from Ames who are the subject of Jeffrey Zaslow's 2009 nonfiction bestseller^[23]

Other topics[link]

Politics[link]

Iowa is a "battleground state" that has trended slightly Democratic 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.^[24]

See also[link]

Iowa portal

• North Grand Mall
• Reiman Gardens

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Ames, Iowa

• Official Ames City Website
• The Main Street Cultural District
• City Data Detailed Statistical Data and more about Ames

v t e Municipalities and communities of Story County, Iowa, United States County seat: Nevada Cities Ames Cambridge Collins Colo Gilbert Huxley Kelley Maxwell McCallsburg Nevada Roland Sheldahl‡ Slater Story City Zearing Townships Collins Franklin Grant Howard Indian Creek Lafayette Lincoln Milford Nevada New Albany Palestine Richland Sherman Union Warren Washington Footnotes ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties

v t e  State of Iowa Des Moines (capital) Topics Index Geology Environment Archaeology Native Americans History Historic Places Iowans Visitor Attractions State Parks Delegations Demographics Governors Legislature Flag Seal Education Sports Area codes Regions Coteau des Prairies Des Moines metropolitan area Dissected Till Plains Driftless Area Great River Road Honey Lands Iowa Great Lakes Loess Hills Omaha-Council Bluffs metropolitan area Quad Cities Siouxland Largest cities Ames Ankeny Bettendorf Burlington Cedar Falls Cedar Rapids Clinton Council Bluffs Davenport Des Moines Dubuque Fort Dodge Iowa City Marion Marshalltown Mason City Muscatine Ottumwa Sioux City Urbandale Waterloo West Des Moines Counties Adair Adams Allamakee Appanoose Audubon Benton Black Hawk Boone Bremer Buchanan Buena Vista Butler Calhoun Carroll Cass Cedar Cerro Gordo Cherokee Chickasaw Clarke Clay Clayton Clinton Crawford Dallas Davis Decatur Delaware Des Moines Dickinson Dubuque Emmet Fayette Floyd Franklin Fremont Greene Grundy Guthrie Hamilton Hancock Hardin Harrison Henry Howard Humboldt Ida Iowa Jackson Jasper Jefferson Johnson Jones Keokuk Kossuth Lee Linn Louisa Lucas Lyon Madison Mahaska Marion Marshall Mills Mitchell Monona Monroe Montgomery Muscatine O'Brien Osceola Page Palo Alto Plymouth Pocahontas Polk Pottawattamie Poweshiek Ringgold Sac Scott Shelby Sioux Story Tama Taylor Union Van Buren Wapello Warren Washington Wayne Webster Winnebago Winneshiek Woodbury Worth Wright

State of Iowa
Flag Seal
Nickname(s): The Hawkeye State[1]
Motto(s): Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain.
Official language(s)	English
Demonym	Iowan
Capital (and largest city)	Des Moines
Largest metro area	Des Moines metropolitan area
Area	Ranked 26th in the U.S.
- Total	56,272 sq mi (145,743 km2)
- Width	310 miles (500 km)
- Length	199 miles (320 km)
- % water	0.70
- Latitude	40° 23′ N to 43° 30′ N
- Longitude	90° 8′ W to 96° 38′ W
Population	Ranked 30th in the U.S.
- Total	3,062,309 (2011 est)[2]
- Density	54.8/sq mi  (21.2/km2) Ranked 36th in the U.S.
- Median household income	$48,075 (24th)
Elevation
- Highest point	Hawkeye Point[3][4] 1,671 ft (509 m)
- Mean	1,100 ft  (340 m)
- Lowest point	Confluence of Mississippi River and Des Moines River[3][4] 480 ft (146 m)
Before statehood	Iowa Territory
Admission to Union	December 28, 1846 (29th)
Governor	Terry E. Branstad (R)
Lieutenant Governor	Kim Reynolds (R)
Legislature	General Assembly
- Upper house	Senate
- Lower house	House of Representatives
U.S. Senators	Chuck Grassley (R) Tom Harkin (D)
U.S. House delegation	3 Democrats, 2 Republicans (list)
Time zone	Central: UTC -6/-5
Abbreviations	IA US-IA
Website	www.iowa.gov

Iowa (ⁱ/ˈaɪ.əwə/) 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.^[5] Iowa was a part of the French colony of New France. After the Louisiana Purchase, settlers laid the foundation for an agriculture-based economy in the heart of the Corn Belt.^[6] Iowa is often known as the "Food Capital of the World".^[7]

In the latter half of the 20th century, Iowa's agricultural economy transitioned to a diversified economy of advanced manufacturing, processing, financial services, biotechnology, and green energy production.^[7][8] Iowa is the 26th most extensive and the 30th most populous of the 50 United States. Its capital and largest city is Des Moines. Iowa has been listed as one of the safest states to live in.^[9]

Geography[link]

Boundaries[link]

Topography of Iowa, with counties and major streams.

Iowa is bordered by the Mississippi River on the east; the Missouri River and the Big Sioux River on the west; the northern boundary is a line along 43 degrees, 30 minutes north latitude.^{[10][note 1]} The southern border is the Des Moines River and a not-quite-straight line along approximately 40 degrees 35 minutes north, as decided by the U.S. Supreme Court in Missouri v. Iowa^[11] after a standoff between Missouri and Iowa known as the Honey War.^[12]

Iowa is the only state whose east and west borders are formed entirely by rivers. Source: http://www.50states.com/facts/iowa.htm

Iowa has 99 counties, but 100 county seats because Lee County has two. The state capital, Des Moines, is located in Polk County.^[13]

DeSoto lake at DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge, Iowa

Fountain Springs Park in Delaware County, Iowa.

Geology and terrain[link]

Iowa's bedrock geology generally increases in age from west to east. In northwest Iowa Cretaceous bedrock can be 74 million years old, in eastern Iowa Cambrian bedrock dates to ca. 500 million years ago.^[14]

Iowa is generally not flat; most of the state consists of rolling hills. Prior^[15] divides Iowa into eight landforms based on glaciation, soils, topography, and river drainage. Loess hills lie along the western border of the state, some of which are several hundred feet thick.^[16] In the northeast, along the Mississippi River, is a section of the Driftless Zone, which in Iowa consists of steep hills and valleys which appear almost mountainous.

There are several natural lakes in the state, most notably Spirit Lake, West Okoboji Lake, and East Okoboji Lake in northwest Iowa (see Iowa Great Lakes). To the east lies Clear Lake. Man-made lakes include Lake Odessa,^[17] Saylorville Lake, Lake Red Rock, Coralville Lake, Lake MacBride, and Rathbun Lake. The northwest part of the state also contains a considerable number of remnants of the once common wetland areas such as Barringer Slough.

Ecology and environment[link]

Iowa's natural vegetation is tallgrass prairie and savanna in upland areas, with dense forest and wetlands in floodplains and protected river valleys, and pothole wetlands in northern prairie areas.^[18] Most of Iowa is used for agriculture, crops cover 60% of the state, grasslands (mostly pasture and hay with some prairie and wetland) cover 30%, and forests cover 7%; urban areas and water cover another 1% each.^[19] The explosion in the number of high-density livestock facilities in Iowa has led to increased risk of rural water contamination and a perceived decline in air quality.^[20] Other factors negatively affecting Iowa's environment include the extensive use of older coal-fired power plants,^[21] fertilizer and pesticide runoff from crop production,^[22] and diminishment of the Jordan Aquifer.^[23]

There is a dearth of natural areas in Iowa; less than 1% of the tallgrass prairie that once covered most of Iowa remain intact, only about 5% of the state's prairie pothole wetlands remain, and most of the original forest has been lost.^[24] Iowa ranks 49th of U.S. states in public land holdings.^[25] Threatened or endangered animals in Iowa include the Interior Least Tern, Piping Plover, Indiana Bat, Pallid Sturgeon, the Iowa Pleistocene Land Snail, Higgins' Eye Pearly Mussel, and the Topeka Shiner.^[26] Endangered or threatened plants include Western Prairie Fringed Orchid, Eastern Prairie Fringed Orchid, Mead's Milkweed, Prairie Bush Clover, and Northern Wild Monkshood.^[27]

Climate[link]

Iowa, like most of the Midwest, has a humid continental climate throughout the state (Koppen climate classification Dfa) with extremes of both heat and cold. The average annual temperature at Des Moines is 50 °F (10 °C); for some locations in the north the figure is under 45 °F (7 °C), while Keokuk, on the Mississippi River, averages 52 °F (11 °C). Winters are often harsh and snowfall is common.

Spring ushers in the beginning of the severe weather season. Iowa averages about 50 days of thunderstorm activity per year.^[28] Tornadoes are common during the spring and summer months, with an average of 37 tornadoes in a single year.^[29] In 2008, twelve people were killed by tornadoes in Iowa, making it the deadliest year since 1968 and also the second most tornadoes in a year with 105, matching the total from 2001.^[30]

Iowa summers are known for heat and humidity, with daytime temperatures often near 90 °F (32 °C) and sometimes exceeding 100 °F (38 °C). Average winters in the state have been known to drop well below freezing, even dropping below −18 °C (−0 °F). Iowa's all time hottest temperature of 118 °F (48 °C) was recorded at Keokuk on July 20, 1934; the all time lowest temperature of −47 °F (−44 °C) was recorded at Elkader on February 3, 1996.

Iowa has a relatively smooth gradient of varying precipitation across the state, with areas in the southeast of the state receiving an average of over 38 inches (97 cm) of rain annually, and the northwest of the state receiving less than 28 inches (71 cm).^[36] The pattern of precipitation across Iowa is seasonal, with more rain falling in the summer months. In Des Moines, roughly in the center of the state, over two-thirds of the 34.72 inches (88.2 cm) of rain falls from April through September, and about half of the average annual precipitation falls from May through August.^[37]

Prehistory[link]

Excavation of the 3,800 year old Edgewater Park Site.

When American Indians first arrived in what is now Iowa more than 13,000 years ago, they were hunters and gatherers living in a Pleistocene glacial landscape. By the time European explorers visited Iowa, American Indians were largely settled farmers with complex economic, social, and political systems. This transformation happened gradually. During the Archaic period (10,500–2,800 years ago), American Indians adapted to local environments and ecosystems, slowly becoming more sedentary as populations increased.

More than 3,000 years ago, during the Late Archaic period, American Indians in Iowa began utilizing domesticated plants. The subsequent Woodland period saw an increased reliance on agriculture and social complexity, with increased use of mounds, ceramics, and specialized subsistence. During the Late Prehistoric period (beginning about AD 900) increased use of maize and social changes led to social flourishing and nucleated settlements.

The arrival of European trade goods and diseases in the Protohistoric period led to dramatic population shifts and economic and social upheaval, with the arrival of new tribes and early European explorers and traders. There were numerous Indian tribes living in Iowa at the time of early European exploration. Tribes which were probably descendants of the prehistoric Oneota include the Dakota, Ho-Chunk, Ioway, and Otoe. Tribes which arrived in Iowa in the late prehistoric or protohistoric periods include the Illiniwek, Meskwaki, Omaha, and Sauk.^[38]

History[link]

Early exploration and trade, 1673–1808[link]

Iowa in 1718. Modern state area highlighted.

The first known European explorers to document Iowa were Jacques Marquette and Louis Jolliet who traveled the Mississippi River in 1673 documenting several Indian villages on the Iowa side.^[39][40] The area of Iowa was claimed for France and remained a French territory until 1763. The French, prior to their impending defeat in the French and Indian War, transferred ownership to their ally, Spain.^[41] Spain practiced very loose control over the Iowa region, granting trading licenses to French and British traders, who established trading posts along the Mississippi and Des Moines Rivers.^[39]

Iowa was part of a territory known as La Louisiane or Louisiana, and European traders were interested in lead and furs obtained by Indians. The Sauk and Meskwaki effectively controlled trade on the Mississippi in the late 18th century and early 19th century. Among the early traders on the Mississippi were Julien Dubuque, Robert La Salle, and Paul Marin.^[39] Along the Missouri River at least five French and English trading houses were built prior to 1808.^[42] In 1800, Napoleon Bonaparte took control of Louisiana from Spain in a treaty.

After the 1803 Louisiana Purchase, Iowa was placed under United States control. Much of Iowa was mapped by Zebulon Pike in 1805,^[43] but it was not until the construction of Fort Madison in 1808 that the U.S. established tenuous military control over the region.^[44]

War of 1812 and unstable U.S. control[link]

Plan of Fort Madison, 1810.

Fort Madison was built to control trade and establish U.S. dominance over the Upper Mississippi, but it was poorly designed and disliked by the Sauk and Ho-Chunk, many of whom allied with the British, who had not abandoned claims to the territory.^[44][45] Fort Madison was defeated by British-supported Indians in 1813 during the War of 1812, and Fort Shelby in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, also fell to the British. Black Hawk took part in the siege of Fort Madison.^[46][47]

After the war, the U.S. reestablished control of the region through the construction of Fort Armstrong, Fort Snelling in Minnesota, and Fort Atkinson in Nebraska.^[48]

Trade and Indian removal, 1814–1832[link]

Map of Iowa Indian Territory Accessions

The U.S. encouraged settlement of the east side of the Mississippi and removal of Indians to the west. Trade continued in furs and lead, but disease and forced population movement decimated Indian cultures and economies. A disputed 1804 treaty between Quashquame and William Henry Harrison that surrendered much of Illinois to the U.S. enraged many Sauk and led to the 1832 Black Hawk War. As punishment for the uprising, and as part of a larger settlement strategy, treaties were subsequently designed to remove all Indians from Iowa.

The Sauk and Meskwaki were pushed out of the Mississippi valley in 1832, out of the Iowa River valley in 1843, and out of Iowa altogether in 1846. Many Meskwaki later returned to Iowa and settled near Tama, Iowa; the Meskwaki Settlement remains to this day. In 1856 the Iowa Legislature passed an unprecedented act allowing the Meskawki to purchase the land; Indians were not usually permitted to do so. The Ho-Chunk were removed from Iowa in 1850, and the Dakota were removed by the late 1850s. Western Iowa around modern Council Bluffs was used as a way station for other tribes being moved west, including the Potawatomi.

U.S. settlement and statehood, 1832–1860[link]

Iowa Territorial Seal.

The first American settlers officially moved to Iowa in June 1833.^[49] Primarily, they were families from Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Indiana, Kentucky, and Virginia.^[49] On July 4, 1838, the U.S. Congress established the Territory of Iowa. President Martin Van Buren appointed Robert Lucas governor of the territory, which at the time had 22 counties and a population of 23,242.^[50]

Almost immediately after achieving territorial status, a clamor arose for statehood. On December 28, 1846, Iowa became the 29th state in the Union when President James K. Polk signed Iowa's admission bill into law. Once admitted to the Union, the state's boundary issues resolved, and most of its land purchased from the Indians, Iowa set its direction to development and organized campaigns for settlers and investors, boasting the young frontier state's rich farmlands, fine citizens, free and open society, and good government.^[51]

Iowa has a long tradition of state and county fairs. The first and second Iowa State Fairs were held in the more developed eastern part of the state at Fairfield. The first fair was held October 25–27, 1854, at a cost of around $323. Thereafter, the fair moved to locations closer to the center of the state and in 1886 found a permanent home in Des Moines. The State Fair has been held every year since except for the year 1898 due to the Spanish-American War and the World's Fair being held in nearby Omaha, Nebraska. The fair was also a World War II wartime casualty from 1942–1945.^[52]

Civil War, 1861–1865[link]

Iowa supported the Union during the Civil War, voting heavily for Abraham Lincoln, though there was a strong antiwar "Copperhead" movement among settlers of southern origins and among Catholics.^{[citation needed]} There were no battles in the state, but Iowa sent large supplies of food to the armies and the eastern cities. Much of Iowa's support for the Union can be attributed to Samuel J. Kirkwood, its wartime governor. Of a total population of 675,000, about 116,000 men were subjected to military duty. Iowa contributed proportionately more men to Civil War military service than did any other state, north or south, sending more than 75,000 volunteers to the armed forces, over one-sixth of whom were in their graves before the South surrendered at Appomattox.^[53]

Most fought in the great campaigns in the Mississippi Valley and in the South.^[54] Iowa troops fought at Wilson's Creek in Missouri, Pea Ridge in Arkansas, Forts Henry and Donelson, Shiloh, Chattanooga, Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge, and Rossville Gap as well as Vicksburg, Iuka, and Corinth. They served with the Army of the Potomoc in Virginia and fought under Union General Philip Sheridan in the Shenandoah Valley. Many died and were buried at Andersonville. They marched on General Nathaniel Banks' ill-starred expedition to the Red River. Twenty-seven Iowans have been awarded the Medal of Honor, the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government, which was first awarded in the Civil War.^[55]

Iowa had several brigadier generals and four major generals—Grenville Mellen Dodge, Samuel R. Curtis, Francis J. Herron, and Frederick Steele—and saw many of its generals go on to state and national prominence following the war.^[53]

Agricultural expansion, 1865–1930[link]

Iowa farm, 1875.

Following the Civil War, Iowa's population continued to grow dramatically, from 674,913 people in 1860 to 1,194,020 in 1870. The introduction of railroads in the 1850s and 1860s transformed Iowa into a major agricultural producer.

In 1917, the United States entered World War I and farmers as well as all Iowans experienced a wartime economy. For farmers, the change was significant. Since the beginning of the war in 1914, Iowa farmers had experienced economic prosperity. In the economic sector, Iowa also has undergone considerable change. Beginning with the first farm-related industries developed in the 1870s, Iowa has experienced a gradual increase in the number of business and manufacturing operations.

Depression, World War II, and the rise of manufacturing, 1930–1985[link]

The transition from an agricultural economy to a mixed economy happened slowly. The Great Depression and World War II accelerated the shift away from smallholder farming to larger farms, and began a trend of urbanization that continues. The period since World War II has witnessed a particular increase in manufacturing operations. While agriculture continued to be the state's dominant industry, Iowans also produce a wide variety of products including refrigerators, washing machines, fountain pens, farm implements, and food products.

The Farm Crisis of the 1980s caused a major recession in Iowa, causing poverty not seen since the Depression.^[56] The crisis spurred a major population decline in Iowa that lasted a decade.^[57]

Reemergence as a mixed economy, 1985–present[link]

After bottoming out in the 1980s, Iowa's economy began to become increasingly less dependent on agriculture, and now has a mix of manufacturing, biotechnology, finance and insurance services, and government services.^[58] The population of Iowa has increased at a faster rate than the U.S. as a whole,^[57] and Iowa now has a predominantly urban population.^[59]

Demographics[link]

Major Cities[link]

Iowa Population Density Map