The following books are available at both the Ames Public Library (APL) and Ames Historical Society (AHS) unless noted otherwise.

1876

Turner, C. E.  Centennial history of the town of Ames.  Ames, Iowa : Ames Intelligencer, 1876.

Reprinted as Appendix B in Farwell Brown’s 1993 book.

1880

Resources and wealth of Story County, Iowa / compiled by W.C.B. Allen and W.A. Stinchcomb.  Nevada, Iowa : Representative Power Press Print, 1880.  33 p. : ill. ; 23 cm.

Includes a section on Ames

Available only at AHS.

1887

Allen, William G.  A History of Story County, Iowa.  Des Moines, Iowa : Iowa Printing Co., 1887.   485 p. : ill. ; 23 cm.

Online version includes sections on Ames

Complete text: http://iastory.com/1887

Reprinted by the Iowa Genealogical Society in 1975.

Index published separately by Story County Chapter of the Iowa Genealogical Society, 1973.  68 p. ; 28 cm.

1890

Biographical and historical memoirs of Story County, Iowa, comprising a condensed history of the state, a number of biographies of distinguished citizens of the same, a descriptive history of the county named herein, and numerous selected biographical sketches of the citizens of such county.  Chicago : Goodspeed Pub. Co., 1890.  460 p. : ill. ; 29 cm.

Contains references to Ames and Iowa State College; searchable online.

 

1898

Directory of Story County, Iowa.  Maxwell, Iowa : Maxwell Tribune, 1898.  173 p. : ill. ; 21 cm.

Lists residents and businesses by township and town.  Includes number in family, acreage, crops and livestock for rural residents.  A four-page Ames in Rhyme is of considerable interest for mentioning all the businesses on Onondaga Street.  Back cover advertises free tuition at Iowa State College.

1924

Tourist Handbook of Iowa - 1924.  Ames Iowa : Tourist Handbook Handbook Company, 1924.

Includes Ames

 

1955

Meads, Gladys H.  At the Squaw and the Skunk.  Ames, Iowa : Greenwood Printing Co., 1955.   181 p. : ill., ports. ; 26 cm.

Published serially in the Ames Daily Tribune in 1954.

1964

Ames Centennial, Inc.  Ames community history, 1864-1964.  Ames, Iowa : Ames Centennial, Inc., 1964.   160 p. : ill., ports. ;  28 cm.

Index in preparation by Ames Public Library.

1977

Town hall series / Heritage Committee, Ames American Revolution Bicentennial Commission.  Ames, Iowa : The Commission, 1977.  [187] p. ; 28 cm.

Table of contents

1985

Scheetz, George H.  Place names of Story County.  Ames, Iowa : G. Scheetz, c1985.  [20] p. : map ; 22 cm.  (Ames history chapbook series ; no. 2)

1989

Brown, Farwell T.  Tilden family letters / compiled by Farwell T. Brown. Ames, Iowa : The Author, 1989.  v, 232 p. : ill. ; 29 cm.

Civil War period, 1861-1865 – Coming to Ames, 1867-1869 – Related families, 1839-1924.

1991

Ames Heritage Association.  Faces of our founders: the early leaders of Ames, Iowa.  Ames, Iowa : The Association, 1991.   40 p. : ill. ; 22 cm.

Contents

1992

Page, William C.  Historical and architectural resources of Ames, Iowa.  Des Moines, Iowa : Dunbar/Jones Partnership, 1992.  2 v. : ill. ; 28 cm.

Table of contents and abstract

1993

Brown, Farwell T.  Ames, the early years in word and picture.  Ames, Iowa : Heuss Printing,  c1993.   vi, 230 p. : ill. ; 26 cm.

Fifty-five stories highlighting the community’s first 75 years.

Table of contents

1995

Brown, Farwell T.  An Ames time table: some important and interesting events indexed.  Ames, Iowa : The Author, 1995   17, 5 p. ; 28 cm.

Covers the period 1838-1992.

1998

Gorrell, Lora Leigh.  Up from nowhere : the development of Ames, Iowa from the frog ponds of Story County, 1864-1897. Ames, Iowa, 1998. 65 leaves : ill. ; 28 cm.

Thesis – Iowa State University, 1998.

1999

Brown, Farwell T.  Ames in word and picture, book two: further tales and personal memories.  Ames, Iowa : Heuss Printing, c1999.   v, 189 p. : ill. ; 26 cm.

Contains forty-nine stories.

Table of contents

2001

Brown, Farwell T.  Ames: a ride through town on the “Dinkey.”  Chicago : Arcadia, c2001.   128 p. : ill. ; 24 cm.

Popular souvenir book of views in its second edition.

2003

Brown, Farwell T.  Ames in word and picture, book three: tales from two old-timers.  Ames, Iowa : Heuss Printing Co., c2003.   vi, 210 p. : ill. ; 26 cm.

Writings from Farwell T. Brown and his grandfather, Kendrick Wade Brown.

Table of contents

 

2004

Brown, Kendrick Wade.  A soldier’s life, 1861-1865: the Civil War diaries and reminiscences of Kendrick Wade Brown, citizen of Alexandria Bay, New York and Ames, Iowa / edited by Janet E. Klaas and Barbara N. Munson.  [Ames, Iowa : Heuss Printing Co.], c2004.  xxviii, 255 p. : ill. ; 26 cm.

Includes When I lived with grandfather, an interview with Farwell Tilden Brown.

Table of contents

1850

S. Augustus Mitchell, Map of Iowa, 1850, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania : S. Augustus Mitchell, [1850], hand colored ; 29 x 42 cm. Scale: [1:40 miles]
Map of Iowa

1862

Johnson and Browning, Map of Iowa and Nebraska, 1862, New York : Johnson & Browning, [1862], hand colored ; 29 x 42 cm. Scale: [1:1,520,640]
Map of Iowa

1864

Johnson and Ward, Map of Iowa and Nebraska, 1864, New York : A.J. Johnson & Ward, [1864], hand colored ; 29 x 42 cm. Scale: [1:1,520,640]
Map of Iowa

1875

Andreas, A. T. (Alfred Theodore), 1839-1900.  A. T. Andreas’ illustrated historical atlas of the State of Iowa.  Chicago : Andreas Atlas Co. [1875] vii, 590 p. : ill., maps, ports. ; 46 cm.

Edition for the 9th Congressional District contains the following Ames views: the well-known bird’s eye view of Ames, plat map, Franklin (Hannum) Mill, views of Iowa State Agricultural College, residences of W.O. Boyd, J.H. Swan, Russel Miller, Robert Marshall, J.B. Grove and stock farm of Jacob Erb. Story County map shows all townships.
Facsimile edition: Iowa City : State Historical Society, 1970. xvi, 580 p. : ill., maps, ports. ; 32cm.

Includes plates from editions for all nine congressional districts.

1878

G. Woolworth Colton.  Colton's Iowa.  New York : G.W. and C.B. Colton & Co.
Map of Iowa

1887

E.H. Butler and Co.  Complete Geography, Iowa Edition. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania  : Drawn and Engraved by W.H. Holmes.
Map of Iowa

1898

Iowa State College.  Topographical Map of a portion of Franklin Township Story County Iowa.
Map of Franklin Township

1899

George F. Cram.  Cram's Unrivaled Atlas of the World. Chicago, Illinois :
Map of Iowa  (private collection of Alice Mellen)

1899

S.W. Beyer. Iowa Geological Survey Map of Superficial Deposits.
Map of Story County

1902

Huebinger Surveying and Map Publishing Co. Atlas of Story County, Iowa.  Davenport, Iowa : Huebinger Surveying and Map Pub. Co., 1902.  58, [50] p. : ill., col. maps, ports. ; 46 cm.

Includes land ownership plats (maps of Story County, Washington Township, Franklin Township, Milford Township, Grant Township, and plat map of Ames and Ontario), reminiscences, directory of leading farmers by township, and photographs of citizens.

1903

U.S Dept. of Agriculture, Bureau of Soils. Soils Map, Story County Iowa.  Davenport, Iowa : Field Operation, Bureau of Soils, 1903.  colored map ; 72x71 cm.

Ames area portion

1904

Topographical map of Story County, Iowa. – Davenport : Iowa Pub. Co., 1904.
1 map : col. ; 47 x 38 cm.
Shows railroads and schools.
Ornamental border.
“219”

1908

Souvenir atlas of Story County, Iowa / issued by the Nevada Representative.  Nevada, Iowa : Payne & Son, [1908]
36p. : 17 maps ; 35 cm.

Includes area township plat maps (Washington, Franklin, Grant, and Milford)

1912

Ames (Iowa). Office of City Engineer. Map of the City of Ames, Iowa. Ames, Iowa : City of Ames, Iowa, The Office of the City Engineer, 1912. 1 map.

Shows water lines (scale 1" = 300'), map will open in new window (1 mb)

1914

Ames (Iowa). Office of City Engineer. Map of the City of Ames, Iowa. Ames, Iowa : City of Ames, Iowa, The Office of the City Engineer, 1914. 1 map.

Shows plats (scale 1" = 300'), map will open in new window (1 mb)

1916

Ames (Iowa). Office of City Engineer. Map of the City of Ames, Iowa. Ames, Iowa : City of Ames, Iowa, The Office of the City Engineer, 1916. 1 map.

Shows plats (scale 1" = 300'), map will open in new window (1 mb)

1919

Atlas and plat book of Story County, Iowa.  Nevada, Iowa : Nevada Representative, c1919.  52, [16] p. : ill., ports., col. maps. ; 42 cm.

Advertisements interspersed.
Land ownership maps of Washington, Franklin, Grant, and Milford townships.

1926

Kenyon Company (Des Moines, Iowa).  Atlas and plat book, Story County, Iowa.  Des Moines, Iowa : Kenyon Co., c1926.  35, [16] p. : ill., diagrs. 20 maps. ; 40 cm.

Includes maps of Iowa, the United States, Europe and the world.
Published for the Ames Daily Tribune.
Advertisements interspersed.
Land ownership maps of Washington, Franklin, Grant, and Milford townships.

1926

Ames (Iowa). Department of Engineering. Map of the City of Ames, Iowa. Ames, Iowa : City of Ames, Iowa, The Department of Engineering, 1926. 1 map.

Shows plats, map will open in new window (1 mb)

 

1930

Ames (Iowa). Department of Engineering. Map of the City of Ames, Iowa. Ames, Iowa : City of Ames, Iowa, The Department of Engineering, 1930. 1 map.

Shows plats, map will open in new window (1.3 mb)

1943

Ames (Iowa). Department of Engineering. Map of the City of Ames, Iowa. Ames, Iowa : City of Ames, Iowa, The Department of Engineering, 1943. 1 map.

Shows plats, map will open in new window (1 mb)

1943

Ames (Iowa).  Ordinances of the City of Ames, Iowa, 1943.  Tribune, 1943.  vii, 326p : map; 28cm.

zoning map, map will open in new window (2 mb)

1948

Ames (Iowa). Department of Engineering. Map of the City of Ames, Iowa Ames, Iowa : City of Ames, Iowa, The Department of Engineering, 1948. 1 map.

Shows streets, polling locations, map will open in new window (2.5 mb)

1950

Ames Engineering and Testing Service. Story County plat book. 1950. 33 p. :maps ; 21 cm.

Land ownership maps of Washington, Franklin, Grant, and Milford townships.

1957

Ames (Iowa). Department of Engineering. Map of the City of Ames, Iowa. Ames, Iowa : City of Ames, Iowa, The Department of Engineering, 1957. 1 map.

Shows storm sewers, map will open in new window (1 mb)

1961

Ames (Iowa).  The City of Ames Iowa. Ames, Iowa : City of Ames, Iowa, 1961. 1 map.

Shows streets, map will open in new window (1.7 mb)

1967

Title Atlas Company (Minneapolis, Minn.) Atlas of Story County, Iowa / compiled by Title Atlas Co.   Minneapolis, Minn. : Title Atlas Co., 1967.  [200] p. : ill., maps, ports. ; 33 cm.

Includes township plats; rural directory; photos (some historic) of people, livestock, businesses, schools, churches, and organizations; aerial views of farms; church histories.
Advertisements interspersed.

Land ownership maps of Washington, Franklin, Grant, and Milford townships.

1969

Ames (Iowa).  The City of Ames Iowa. Ames, Iowa : City of Ames, Iowa, 1969. 1 map.

Shows streets, map will open in new window (1 mb)

1980

Ames (Iowa).  The City of Ames Iowa. Ames, Iowa : City of Ames, Iowa, 1980. 1 map.

Shows streets, map will open in new window (1. mb)

1905

Students' Directory, Iowa State College.  Sanford & Kupfer, compilers.  Spring Term 1905.
Includes all students, faculty, and a directory of clubs.
Of interest is the Dinkey timetable and the maps of campus and Ames.  (private collection of Don Faas)

1907

Students' Directory, Iowa State College.  G.L. Martin, compiler.  Fall Term 1907.
Includes all students, faculty, a directory of clubs, and a map of ISC campus area. (private collection of Don Faas)

1926

Iowa State College. Map and Directory. Ames, Iowa : Iowa State College, 1926.
Includes a list of faculty by departments and a map of campus with all stuctures named.  (private collection of Mike Maki)

1929

Handbook of Iowa State College.  Edwin L. Losey, editor.  Ames, Iowa : ISC Publicity Department, 1929. Includes an events calendar, a list of ISC student publications and campus organizations, and a map of the campus and surrounding area.
Available only at AHS.

Page 1 - 1875 Birdseye View of Ames - 1920s & 1930s Carrs pool - 1926 Campustown - 1928 Campus and Campustown - 1935 Campus - 1937 Grand Avenue overpass - 1938 Campus - 1939 Ames between of Squaw Creek and Skunk River

Page 2 - 1938 Roosevelt School area - 1940 Ontario Road area - 1940s North Ames - 1948 Grand Avenue overpass - 1948 Campus & Campustown - 1950s Campus - 1951 13th and Grand Ave - 1952 Campus

Page 3 - 1953 Ames between Squaw Creek and Skunk River - Mid 1950s Downtown - 1958 Ames east of Squaw Creek - 1958 Campus - 1960 Campus - 1960 Downtown railroad switchyards - 1960s University Village - 1962 South of Lincoln Way between Ash and Beach  - 1960 & 1972 IDOT

Page 4 - 1963 Lincoln Way adjacent to ISU campus, five views

Page 5 - 1965 Ames between Squaw Creek and Skunk River - 1972 Ames between Squaw Creek and I-35 - 1975 Campustown - 1976 Ames between Squaw Creek and I-35 - 1976 Downtown - 1978 Iowa State Center - 1981 Iowa State Center - 1976 Downtown - 1980s Downtown

Page 6 - Eight 1989 photos of Ames looking in all directions taken from the top of the Ames power plant by Gary Moore

Page 7 - 1989 aerial views of Ames by Gary Moore - Ames City Hall - Downtown Ames surrounding the power plant - Moore Park - 1992 Hallett's Quarry

Ames Daily Tribune.  Diamond Jubilee edition, Aug. 29, 1928 and Centennial edition, Sept. 1968.

Ames Intelligencer.  Souvenir edition, midwinter 1897.

The Ames Intelligencer.  Ames, Iowa : Ames Heritage Association, July 1982 – Winter 2004.

Published four times a year for members, containing organizational news and articles on Ames history.

Ames telephone directory.

APL has: 1916-1917, 1924, 1926-date.

Newsletter (Ames Historical Society).  Ames, Iowa : Ames Historical Society, Spring 2004 – date.

Continues: The Ames Intelligencer.
Published four times a year for members, containing organizational news and articles on Ames history.

Polk’s Ames city directory.  Omaha, Neb. : R.L. Polk & Co.

APL has:  1917, 1919, 1922, 1936, 1940-1941, 1949, 1952-1954, 1956, 1958-1959, 1961-1962, 1964-date.