Table Of ContentAn Amss
Tims T abls
SOME
IMPORTANT AND INTERESTING EVENTS
INDEXED
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
FARWELL T. BROWH
MARCH 12, 1995
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AMES TIMETABLE
1838 Iowa Territory designated.
1846 Iowa became a State.
1848 First European-American settler In territory that became Story County.
1853 Story County was named for Joseph Story, an associate justice of the U.S.Supreme Court, apponted by
President Madison. Nevada was designated county seat of Story County
1858 Ia. Agricultural College established by Legislature <Karch 22nd>.
1859 Trustees of College selected site In Story County.
1860 Farm House built on I.A.C.Campus. The first building on the campus, it was the home W.R.Fitzpatrlck, the
first farm operator. It is now a Museum on the I.S.U.Campus.
1862 Hoggatt School, a Washington Township School, located on the Hoggatt farm, opened. Sara Emery became the
first teacher. Several Fitchpatrick children were her pupils. Kiss Emerey boarded at the Farm House.
On July 2nd Congress passed the Morrill Act creating the Land Grant Colleges. The terms of that act were
accepted by the Iowa Legislature .in special session on Septemer 3rd. The Iowa Agricultural College was
not, at the same time, designated as Iowa's recipient of the Land Grants provided. <See: 1864>
On Hovelltler 19th Billy Sunday, first nationally acclaimed evangelist, was born on gran~arent's, Cory, farm
at Ames. His birthplace is now within the Ames City limits.
1863 Plans were discussed for a town to be called •eollegton• and located near the Agricultural College. If
such plans were ever drawn they were never recorded, and the town never existed.
In June that year, John l.Biair, the railroad builder, traveled with Congressnan, oakes Ames, and
W.W.Walker, Blair's Assistant, from Cedar Rapids to Council Bluffs. Blair was selecting the best sites for
stream crossings for the railroad then under construction. They traveled by stage coach through this area
where later the town of Ames would be located.
Alexander IAtff, of Syracuse, Onondaga County, N.Y. purchased 120 acres of land near the western edge of
Story County, Iowa. He and his wife, Cynthia, then established their home here.
1864 On Karch 29th the Iowa Legislature, following a period of debate between the interests of the University of
Iowa and the Agricultural Interests of the state, granted the state's Agricultural College the supporting
grants provided by the Morrill Act. <See: L962>
On 20th Lucian Hoggatt sold land to Cynthia O.IAtff Land located approximately between Grand and
Au~st
Clark Avenues in present day Ames. At about the same time the IAtffs also purchased land from Sallllel
Riestad, Isaac Black, James Brooks, and Nathan Andrews in the same and adjoining sections.
On November 26th Cynthia O.IAtff sold land that the Duffs had purchased from Hoggatt to John I.Bialr, the
construction engineer for the Cedar Rapids and Missouri River Railroad, who needed some of that land for
the railroad's right of way and for the Original Town of Ames.
1
Original Town of Mles Platted Dec.17th by O!arles Irish for Blair. Located between and Burnett
~ff
Avenues and between the railroad tracks and a half block north of Eighth Street.
1865 In January the plat of Original Town of Mles was recorded In Nevada.
First Ames Depot bui 1t near Avenue. Workers boarded at the farm haoe.
~ff ~ff
First Congregational Church organized.
First house In Mles was wll t by Noah Webster. That house today Is located in the eight hundred block on
Crawford Avenue. Originally located where Adams Funeral Home in now.
First schecl.aled passenger train came through Ames in June that year.
1866 First Methodist Church organized. They then wilt the Methodist Chapel on the northeast corner of Iellogg
and Onondaga <Main> Street.
Congregational Church building dedicated October 7th on the northeast corner of Iellogg and Sixth.
Population of Ames: About 100.
1867 That year the Hoggatt school was first used as a school for children fran the village of Mles. Henry May,
who had been with the U.S.State Department cl.aring the Civil War, became the first teacher for Ames
children.
1868 With more children in the village of Ames, a Sib-district school caDDittee of Washington Township was
formed with William West, President; S.B.Farwell, Treasurer, and Henry May, Secretary. Also, a two story
frame school house with two roans was wilt where the Lincoln wilding Is today on Sooth Iellogg Avenue.
Henry May continued to teach in te higher grades in that building for a time.
The Ames lntelllaencer newspaer established by Mr.A.McFadden as It first editor-publisher. Remained a
weekly paper under John Duncan between 1882 and 1889. Next came S.and S.I.Wilson, then the Hodson Bros.
Became a dally under F.R. and M.C.Conway, starting with the Hovemer 9,1911 issue. W.G.Willlams, as
publisher-editor, announced change back to the Weekly Intelljgencer on April 14,1913. Trlbyne name adopted
In May 1913. For a time was the Tri-WeeklY Trlbyne. Merged with the &mes Eyenjng Times In late June of
1919. Name then was the Ames Dally Tribyne-and Evening Times. Later the name became simply the Ames Dally
Trlbyne-Tlmes. I.lmu was eventually dropped fran the name. <See also: 1892, 1921, and 1929>
The First Baptist Church of Ames was organized.
That Spring Ames wanen effectively organized and closed down Ames' first saloon.
The sale of intoxicating liquor c•wlne, beer or spiritous liquors•> was prohibited within two miles of the
Iowa Agricultural Collge by act of the State legislature on April 7, 1868.
First students attend special preparatory sessions at I.A.C. on October 21st.
1869 I.A.C.Classes started on March 17th College enrollment for 1869/70: 192.
On May 10th, the Golden Spike was driven at Promentory,Utah as the first transcontinental rail symstem was
completed. Ames was on that first transcontinental rail system.
On Decear 18th Ames voters approved the incorporation of Ames. 106 ballots were cast. 81 for - 25
opposed. William West was then elected Ames' first Mayor.
1870 Population of Ames: 636. Incorporation was completed.
1872 First I.A.C.Graduation was held November 13th.
The Baptists dedicated their first church on the northest corner of Iellogg and Fifth Street.
1874 The narrow gauge Des Moines & Minnespota Railroad built its llne fran Des Moines to hoes. As the Des
Moines &M inneapolis Railroad it was built as far north as Callanan <now Jewell> four years later. That
line was bou!jlt by the Chicago &N orthwestern in 1884.
1875 Population of Ames: 820.
1877 Ames Town Council entered into an agreement with the C.& N.W. Railway to connect to their water supply in
case of fire. This Involved only an •on top of the ground" water line connection on an emergency basis.
"Wanan's Suffrage, Pro and Con" was the publicized topic discussed by two orators at a CaQ)Us meeting
during the week of May4th. "They took well," theAmes Intelligencer reported <meaning the orators> •as
there was no traveling throu!jl the corridors of time for far fetched exaQ)Ie to prove their points. They
were modern in every respect.•
The Ames Cornet Band was organized.
The Nichols and Maxwell Livery and Feed Stable was advertising the "best horses and the best rigs north of
Des Moines. Traveling men carried to any part of the county at reasonable terms on short notice.•
1878 The first telephone in hoes was a string phone between the Ames Drug Store and Dr. Beverley's office across
the street.
1880 Ames population: 1,153. College enrollment: 281.
First magnetic telephones installed in Ames. Switchboard was in the Bigelow, Huntington and Tilden Store.
In August, Ames physician, Dr. James Bradley, paid $12.50 an acre for 100 acres of "wild land" about where
the hoes Golf and Country Club in located today.
1881 Captain Wallace M. Greeley organized and became president of the Unnion Bank. The bank was formed by the
consolidation of the banking interests of W.D. Lucas and the banking house of Greeley and Rainbolt. The
Union Bank became the Union National Bank in July of 1884. <That bank throu\il a series of bank mergers
over the years, has become the Firststar Bank of today.>
The Hutchison Brothers Coal mine opend that year. Located three miles west of Gilbert Just west of the
Boone County line, it was operated until 1899. Once 80 men and was the coal supply for Iowa State
eq~loyed
College at one time. Neasrby Zenorsville one had a population of 200 people. Up to 400 people attended
annual reunions here beginning in 1918. Some Zenorsvi lie bui Id ings were moved into Gilbert when the
mines shut down.
First long distance lines were installed at the Iowa Agricultural College. First long line into an Ames
residence was into the home of I.W.Brown. <See: 1878,1880,1917,1921>
First brick school house In Ames opened. Became knCMl as 'Central School' served as Grad School, HI~
School, and Junior Hi~ School. Original txli Id ing removed 1937, replaced by new Bi!i\ School in 1938/39.
Today has been renovated and is Ames' City Ball.
1882 Capt. Wallace M.and Mary Greeley built their new home on the northest corner of Douglas and Fifth Street.
They 100ved the Webster house to a new location. <How the Adams Funeral Baae.)
1884 In June the City Counci I voted $100 to iqlrove a park to be acquired frCJil the Blair TCMl Lot and Lan
Totay It is the Band Stell Park.
~any.
1885 College Hospital (lnCMl as Sanitary Hall) was established with Dr .Fairchild, •s physician, named first
College Pbylsclan. Be spent half days on caq>us.
The~. a weekly newspaper, with E,W,Ciark Its publisher and editor, began publishing In AuC)Ist.
Discontinued publication in AuC)Ist 1886 after Clark's death.
Population of Ames: 1,317.
1886 Major Fire on Main Street on January 18th. The Hulitt <American Legion Building there today>, BrCMl and
Barroll bui !dings located in the center of the 300 block <north side> of Onondaga <Main> Street were
destroyed.
Ames builds its first town hall. Located on Iellogg and Fifth. A two cell jail included.
1887 Amnother major fire on Main Street east of Douglas on October 4th. The ~era house building located second
door east of Douglas corner on the north side of the street and three other frame txllldlngs to Its east
were destroyed. •C an AIDes afford to Io nger be wl thout a waterworks?' - wrote the Ames Inte lligencer' s
editor.
Methodists sold their Chapel located on the Main and Iellogg corner to the Christian <Disciples> Church.
It was then moved up to the southeast corner of Fifth and Iellogg.
The Methhodlsts built a new church of the southeast corner of Iellogg and Sixth Street.
With four churches located within a block on Iellogg, that street became known as 'Church' street.
The United Brethren Church was organized that year. Located on southwest corner of Iellogg and Second
Street. Built a new church In 1922. United with national body of the Evangelical Association In 1946.
As Evangelical United Brethern Church they relocated at corner of Hoover and Twentieth Fourth Street In
1963; they then merged with the United Methodist Church In 1968. The Nazarene Church acquired the United
Bretheren's former church building In 1963 and remain at the location today.
1890 Tilden Store built new bui Id ing replacing the frame building bui It In 1868. Located next to Greeley's bank
on the Douglas corner on north side of Onondaga <Main> Street.
Union National Bank also built new building on Douglas and Main corner that same year. This building and
Tilden's building, of similar design, were remodeled in 1916/17 at the same time. Both buildings still
stand.
Ames population was 1,276. College enrollment was 297.
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!qual Rights Society met wlth Mrs. R.!.Stevens.
carrrle Chapman Catt spoke at the Congregational Church on subject of women's suffrage.
Ames Street Rai Iw ay ~any, known as the Mles & College Railway, or more often as the •ntnkey•, was
incorporated Septear 20. On October 15, the Town Counci I granted a franchise to operate on Ames streets
1891 In January the Trustees of the College granted right of way across the l.A.C. ciq)us to the •Ames Street
Railway their successors or assigns. • An agreement was also entered into between the College and
~any,
the Railway for the rall company to pick up college mail at the Ames Post office and make delivery to the
College.
On July 4th the Ames & College <Dinkey> made Its first run between downtown Ames and the ciq)us.
B.L. Munn established the Kunn Lumber Company located at the east end on Kaln Street.
Flrst water tower was built <wood cosnstruction> next to original Town Hall on Iellogg.
Story County Bank moved into new Bullding on northeast corner of Main & Douglas. Building, wi~J. new
exterior brick, still stands. Gas office Is now located there. George Douglass, for whaD Daoo s<s>
avenue was named, had an ownership Interest ln thls building.
J.L.Stevens arranged for construction of the ·~era Hoose• bulldlng on the northest corner of Onondaga
<Maln> and Iellogg. Ad ouble store front building it provided alarge auditorium for public meetings on its
entire second floor. Layer that year J.L.Budd acquired a half interest In this bui Id ing. Building was
divided into two buildings in 1903 with sale of east store building to J.E.Davis and A.L.Potter. Musicals,
plays, and Ames High graduations held there until after 1903. ~ra Hoose faclllty replaced the building
that had burned In 1887 In the block east of Douglas corner.
1892 The Ames Equal Rights Society was holding regular meetings. Mrs. R.E.Stevens was president and
Mrs.A.J.Richmond was secretary.
The Ames Evening Times a weekly newspaper founded by Lon Hardin. Became a daily with the February 11,1916
issue. After Hardin's death in 1916 it was continued until late June of 1919 whwn it merged with the ~
Il:ll!!m1 becaDing the Mles Daily Tribune and the M!es !evenjnq Times. <See: 1868>
1893 On December 31,1892 the citizens of Ames voted to annex the area west of Grand Avenue including the Ciq)us
of the Iowa Agricultural College and a large area sooth of the Ciq)US as well. The annexation was made a
matter of record on January 2,1893.
The first Suamit Coal mine opened that year about foor miles northeast of Gilbert. Successfully operated
for several years. Explosion and fire in the shaft on October 18,1895 was fatal to foor men at work in the
mine. S <Source of coal for nearby area residents. <See: 1924>
1895 Ames population: 1893.
John Cole built the dooble front store building east of Iellogg on sooth side of Main Strteet for Prof.
J.L.Budd. Building first occupied by he Fair Department Store founded that year by J.Jacobs. Building
still stands in good repair.
On July 8th, a Light Plant franchise was approved by the Town Council, but the prospective private company
failed to comply.
1896 Ames voters approved establishing a municipally owned electric light plant.
First street lights installed on Main Street/
Ames population: 1,893.
1898 Iowa Agricultural College became The Iowa State College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts. <See: 1959>
President Beardshearannounced on b18th that the College had purchased a large tent with a 3,000
Au~st
capacity for use of <ilring Excursion Days.
c~ous
1899 The Episcopalians held their service In their new church building for the first time on the last SUnday ln
December. It was located on north side of Fifth Street between Burnett and Clark Avenues. <See: 1929>
Ranan Catholic Chruch, the Church of the Good Shepherd organized and met ln their first Ames church on
November 1st. Located on north side of Boone Street <Lincoln Way> one block west of present D.O.T.
Became St.Cecilla in 1906 when the congregation built a new brick church.
1900 Ames population is 2,422. I.S.C. enrollment: 940.
Chica!J) &N orth Western built new depot at Ames. The rai Ir oad also that year converted to a two track
system. That same year construct began on the C.&.N.W.'s •great bridge• over the Des Moines River west of
Boone.
Removal of fill dirt from the hill side just west of Brookridge Avenue created a •borrow• area where tennis
courts are today.
•old Main•, the first college building on was nearly destroyed by fire on December 10, 1900. North
c~us,
wing of building was destroyed. A second fire on Septear 14, 1902 destroyed the south wing of the
structure. Replaced by the present building, Beardshear Hall, completed ln 1906.
1901 The l.O.O.F <Odd Fellows> built a three story building on the north side of Main Street a half block east
of Iellogg.
1902 The hmes Eyenlnq Times moved Into new building at 409 Douglas on January 8th. Builder was Ben Cole wl th
Bert Seymour doing the carpentry work. Building got new front when the Masonic Building was bull t adjacent
in 1915116. Purchased by Tilden Groery Company in 1915 • Was Milepost newspaper office for several years
after about 1940 ••
1903 Chautauqua program organized for mes.
mes Savings Bank was founded by A.J.Graves. This bank evolved Into the First National Bank of today.
Located at 216 Main Street. <Subway restaurant there today>
1904 Iowa State College designated by Thirtieth General Assembly to act as a Highway CaJmission. Anson
Marston and Charles Curtiss were named the first commissioners. Thomas B.MacDonald, I.S.C. 1904, was named
assistant engineer to be in charge of field operations. MacDonald later became the first Chief Engineer of
the Calmission.
E5
Carnegie Library built on corner of Douglas and Flfth Street. Capt. and Mrs, Greeley provided the lots and
the Carnegie people provided a $10,000 grant.
August 17th rked the beginning of the Ames Chautauqua. First located between Slxth and Ninth Streets in
what is now the Brookrldge Avenue area. Judge Lindsey, Denver Jouvenile Judge, was proghram headliner that
first year.
1905 Population of Mles: 3,292.
Armory built on sooth side of Fifth Street a half block west of Iellogg corner. Calmercial Club and
National Qaard raised $10,000 cost. It provided auditorium facility for Mles. Plays, 1111sicals, public
meetings were held there. Dances, and basketball games were held there as well. Torn down 1985. Iowa
State played their first intercollegiate basket ball here in 1907/8. <Converted to O'Neil Dairy in about
1923. Torn down in 1985.
Bethesda Lutheran Church organized May 5,1905. Congregation <1904/5) purchased the original Catholic
Church building moving it across the street to the southwest corner of Second and Oak.
1906 Hew steel water tower was built east of Duff on Sixth Street. It was a part of an expanded water system.
Olmsted master design plan for I.S.C.campus received in June.
1907 On February 22nd, the Iowa State women played Iowa State's first Intercollegiate basketball game defeating
Simpson College at Indianola. Score:16- 13.
Cinder path was constructed between the campus and downtown Mles. Included was a foot bridge <sooth of
railroad bridge over Squaw Creek. Much used by Iowa State students until about 1948.
Charles Warren Fairbanks, Vice President of the Unted States li.tring Theodore Roosevelt's second term
<1905-1909), spoke in Ames on May 2nd.
Mles & College <Dinkey> Railroad sold to Ft.Dodge, Des Moines and Southern Rallroad. The line was built
from Ielley north Into Ames that year. Interurban made its first run down Ames' Haln Street In July.
The Scenic Theater, Ames' first movie house opened at 121 Main Street. Name changed to the Twin Star in
1913 when acquirfed by Joe Gerbrach.
1908 Iowa State men, on Feb.20th, played their first intercollegiate basketball; they lost to Iansas U.at Ames.
Score: 53-35. One week later they defeated Drake University. Score: 36 - 17. Both games were played in
the Armory on Fifth Street in Ames.
Railroad built a second foot bridge over Squaw Creek and north of the railroad bridge to prevent students
from cl iming the rai Ir oad s fences east of Squaw Creek.
c~any'
Methodists dedicated new church at Sixth &I ellogg.
1909 On April 20th voters approved gas franchise to Pratt C~any of Chicago. Ames then could cook with gas.
Vote: Yes:369; No:64.
Story County considered idea of having a County Hospital. <See: 1950>
7
Iowa Sanitarium opened at Nevada. by the Seventh Adventist Olurch It was affiliated with the
~rated
Battle Creek, Michigan Sanitarium. The foor story frame bui !ding burned In 1943.
Newton and Northwestern Railroad was sold and merged with the Ft.Dodge, Des Moines & Soothern line.
Connected with the Fort Dodge Line at !Hdvale south of Ames. Line was then electrified, extended to Des
Moines from Midvale. Newton connection discontinued.
Ames reports of heavy passenger train ticket sales for the C.& N.Y. Line were the highest In Iowa.
City Council changed the name of Hoggatt Avenue to Grand Avenue following petitions by residents. College
students had nicknamed the street 'Pig Alley•.
On July 3rd, the I.A.C. and Ames celebrated the fiftieth annlverary of the decision to locate the College
In Story County. Special trains came from Nevada and Boone. tate Shelly, railroad heroine of Boone, was a
special guest In Ames for that occasion. 20,000 people reported to have visited the campus that day.
Voters turned down a proposal to sell the city-owned light plant to a private utility. Vote: Yes: 138- No:
148 Parey Sheldon had opposed the sale.!
Newton and Northwester railroad was purchased by the new Fort Dodge and Southern electric line. Connected
with the Fort Dodge line at Midvale sooth of Ames. Line then extended to Des Moines. Line to Newton was
discontinued.
Chicago and Northwestern Railroad reported that ticket sales at Ames were the highest for the line in the
state of Iowa.
1910 Population of Ames was 4,223. College enrollment:1,723.
Commercial Saving Bank was organized. Later merged with Union National and Story County Banks. Now part
of the Firstar Bank of Ames.
Onondaga officially became Main Street that year and was paved with creosote wood blocks.
Theodore Roosevelt spoke from north steps of the Ames Depot at 7:45 A.M. on September 1st. Crowd estimated
at 5000.
On Kay 22nd the First Baptist Church dedicated their new chiurch on corner of Iellogg and Fifth.
Article entitled 'Why Ames Shoold Have a Hospital' appeared on front page of the Ames Evening Times of
October 20th.
1911 Grand Avenue was paved north to Ninth Street with wood block. That same year Ames was taken to court by the
clay brick people of Iowa. At Issue was the question as to the use of wood 'brick' material. Case was
heard in Webster County District court at Fort Dodge. Case was won by the City. J.Y.Luke was Ames City
Attorney.
Four thoosand heard Billy Sunday speak at the Ames Chautauqua groonds on August 17th. An Ames native,
Sunday was a headline speaker for Chautaua that year.
