Ames

Understand

Named after Massachusetts congressman and transcontinental railroad supporter Oakes Ames, the city was founded as a stop along one of the primary rail links to the first transcontinental railroad. The railroad is still a daily part of life in Ames, with nearly 70 Union Pacific long-haul freight trains passing through town each day.

Get around

Lincoln Way is the main east-west thoroughfare of the city, passing just south of Downtown (the historic center of town, north of the train tracks between Grand and Duff Avenues) and continuing west to Campustown (the neighborhood immediately south of the ISU campus) along the southern edge of the central campus of ISU. Similarly, 13th Street runs from I-35 across the northern edges of the downtown area and the university campus. Main north-south roads include Duff Avenue (south of Lincoln Way) and Grand Avenue (north of Lincoln Way) which together carry U.S. Hwy 69 through Ames, University Boulevard and North/South Dakota Avenues.

The city-university partnership CyRide provides bus service in Ames. Service hours can be limited (particularly during weekends and school breaks), but the system does a decent job covering the city and is very reliable. Fare is $1.25 ($0.60 for children/seniors).

Ames is very bicycle friendly, with a moderately extensive paved trail system for walking and biking. Apart from ISU itself, there are generally three main pedestrian-friendly concentrations of shops and restaurants: Downtown along Main St between Clark and Duff Avenues, Campustown along Welch Ave south of Lincoln Way, and the much newer Somerset neighborhood directly north of the ISU campus along Stange Ave north of 24th St. Not quite so pedestrian friendly is the two miles of big box stores and strip malls along Duff Avenue between US 30 on the south and Lincoln Way on the north.

See

The Downtown district, along Main Street between Grand and Duff Avenues (just north of Lincoln Way and the train tracks), is the historic center of town and makes for a pleasant stroll. The district has most of Ames' civic functions, such as the city hall, the library, and the main post office. Main Street is lined with charming old brick buildings holding small shops and restaurants and often hosts events such as a local farmers' market. At the east end of Downtown on Duff Avenue, in the shadow of Ames' power plant, is , a pleasant square that regularly holds concerts in the summer months.

Do