The photo shows the first brick schoolhouse in Ames, built in 1881, which served as the only school for all Ames children in the 1880s and 1890s. Afterwards, it served as Ames's first high school. This building stood on the west side of Clark Avenue between Fifth and Sixth streets. It was extensively remodeled and added to in the years of its use.

The older part of the building (on left with five chimneys) was built in 1881-82. The eight-classroom addition on the right was built around 1900. When a new high school was built in 1912 on the east side of Clark Avenue, the old Ames High School building with all its additions became an elementary school, and in 1924 it became Ames' first junior high school.  In July of 1937, it was razed in preparation for the new high school building. (Farwell T. Brown Photographic Archive)