APWA Iowa Chapter Fall Conference Ames, Iowa September 11, 2014
In 1863, John Blair (Cedar Rapids and Missouri RR) selected the marshy area between the Squaw Creek and Skunk River for a depot as they looked to expand their railroad from Cedar Rapids to Council Bluffs Site selected to serve the State College and Model Farm that had been located a couple miles west Land was cheap because the Federal government found it to be unusable swamp land December 17, 1864, Cynthia Duff deeded land to the railroad Named after Oakes Ames, a Massachusetts Congressman
The train depot was the first building in Ames, completed in 1865 Other area settlements included Bloomington and Ontario (New Philadelphia) Ames was incorporated in 1870 with 844 residents
March 22, 1858, a State College and Model Farm was established by the General Assembly, but no location was designated June 21, 1859, Story County was chosen over Johnson, Kossuth, Marshall, and Polk Counties Story County pledged over $21,000 in land and gifts 648 acres purchased from 5 landowners for about $8.30/acre A home was constructed for Pres. Welch due to the isolation of the college College area annexed to Ames in 1893 33 years after it was founded
March 17, 1869, the first class of 173 students began (136 men, 37 women) First graduating class in 1872 had 24 men and 2 women Name changed to Iowa State University of Science and Technology in 1959
Significant Influences: Railroad Squaw Creek Mother Nature
In June of 1865, the first scheduled passenger train arrives in Ames Cedar Rapids and Missouri became the Chicago Northwestern (1884) and now the Union Pacific (1995) Double main line tracks carry an average of 70 trains per day through the city Most trains are 100-125 cars Ames and College Railway known as the Dinkey Fort Dodge, Des Moines and Southern Interurban Railroad Electric street cars
Crossing Squaw Creek, headed for campus
30 lbs vs. 136 lbs
Mother Nature had a major influence on the ability to get from the college to the community Squaw Creek was a major barrier Floods in 1918, 1944, 1947, 1954, 1958, 1960, 1965, 1975, 1984, 1993, 1998, 2005, 2008, 2010 Some thought Ontario should be the focus of community growth since it was on the railroad, no river to cross, and not much farther away from campus than Ames An attempt was made to incorporate West Ames in the 1890 s as a means of getting urban services in the area south of campus where a large number of college staff had built homes.
Boone Street (Lincoln Way) was the only direct connection as the community and college started In 1914, the State Board of Control appropriated $2,000 to the College to work with Ames to open and improve 6 th Street through the railroad underpass that was created for flood protection Money was spent elsewhere by the College but no one admitted where Controversy over where the money went and who had the right to regulate buses between Ames and the College put the street connection project on hold
In 1922, the College dedicated land to extend 9 th Street to the campus, but the City didn t like it because houses would need to be purchased for the remainder of the right-of-way In 1923, a committee was formed, including the Governor, to determine the best location for a new street To reconcile with the college, the city council (many of whom were on staff at the college) passed a resolution on November 5, 1923 accepting the 9 th street connection On November 19 th, Mayor T.L. Rice vetoed it He chastised the college administrators for being small men in large positions and creating fact decoys by arguing that 9 th Street or even 13 th Street was better than 6 th Street He also criticized the Council for being afraid to stand up to the college administrators for the good of the city
The Governor s committee reported in 1924 that 6 th Street was the best location due to the ability to use the flood control underpass At the same time, Mayor Tice had a survey done and 59% of the respondents also wanted 6 th Street to be the connection because 13 th Street was too far north and 9 th Street would disrupt the neighborhood A committee was formed to develop a design for 6 th Street In 1947, 23 years later, the Highway Commission completed the design and it was approved by the City Council Ben Cole & Son was awarded a $87,861 contract and the work was completed in 1950 36 years and about $85,000 later!!
Floods of 1975; 1984; 1993; 1998; 2005; 2008; and 2010
Grand Avenue Underpass, 1938 Widening Lincoln Way, 1963
Engineering and Street Departments joined in late 1950 s Bill Whitman was the first Public Works Director Bill moved out to become Facilities Director at ISU and Arnold Chantland was named Director in 1966 Arnie served until 1988 when I was appointed I served until 2005 when John Joiner was appointed to his current position
GO CYCLONES!!!