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Our Genealogy Helper

Introduction ...

We have a couple of goals for our Gazetteer:

  • That it be a tool which helps us with planning our trips.
  • We're trying to shape our Gazetteer as a tool to help us understand the community in which our ancestors lived, the community that was part of their daily lives.
  • On our trips, we try to visit those places where our ancestors left their footprints.

By learning about Ames (and the surrounding area) during the time that our ancestors lived, we hope to have a better understanding of both their community and its relationship to their lifes. We hope that this tool helps to give us an insight into their world.

As we add data and organize our Gazetteer to help with our family research, we will be adding to this our Genealogical Helper for Ames. While we don't have information that is specific to any given person or family, we intend to expand our understanding about where and how people lived.

Neighboring Counties ...

When searching for family records, we have frequently made the mistake of not checking the neighboring counties.

For example, we have great-grandparents who lived in the southeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals and doctors were in the next county to the east. Almost all of the nearby churches and cemeteries were in the county to the south.

So when searching for records, we had our best success by looking in neighboring counties instead of the county in which they lived:  their home county contained property and probate records; the county to the east contained birth and death records; the county to the south contained their burial records. If we hadn't included the neighboring counties, we would have missed many valuable sources of information.

If you're in a similar situation, we hope that the following information helps.

Ames is located in Story County.

To see how the shape of Iowa's counties have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.

The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Story County: Boone, Hamilton, Hardin, Jasper, Marshall & Polk.

Below are the counties that are near Ames. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Ames:

  • Story County     (The home county of Ames)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ames, with the one closest to Ames listed first.
    • Ontario
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Ontario have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ontario
      • Ontario is located in Story County
    • Gilbert
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Kelley
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Midvale
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midvale
      • Midvale is located in Story County
    • Shipley
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shipley
      • Shipley is located in Story County
    • Zenorsville
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zenorsville
      • Zenorsville is located in Story County
    • Huxley
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Huxley have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huxley
      • Huxley is located in Story County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 4,270 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Huxley <2>
    • Nevada
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
    • Cambridge
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Cambridge have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cambridge
      • Cambridge is located in Story County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 796 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Cambridge <2>
    • Slater
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
    • Story City
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • Fernald
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fernald
      • Fernald is located in Story County
    • Roland
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roland
      • Roland is located in Story County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,252 people
  • Boone County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ames, with the one closest to Ames listed first.
    • Jordan
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jordan
      • Jordan is located in Boone County
    • Luther
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Luther have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Luther
      • Luther is located in Boone County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 133 people
    • Boone
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
    • Madrid
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Moingona
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moingona
      • Moingona is located in Boone County
    • Centerville
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Centerville have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centerville
      • Centerville is located in Boone County
    • Fraser
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Fraser have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fraser
      • Fraser is located in Boone County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 103 people
    • Ogden
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Ogden have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ogden
      • Ogden is located in Boone County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,985 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Ogden <2>
    • Pilot Mound
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pilot Mound
      • Pilot Mound is located in Boone County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 170 people
    • Berkley
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Berkley have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berkley
      • Berkley is located in Boone County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 33 people
    • Boxholm
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Boxholm have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boxholm
      • Boxholm is located in Boone County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 184 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Boxholm <2>
    • Beaver
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Beaver have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaver
      • Beaver is located in Boone County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 50 people
  • Dallas County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ames, with the one closest to Ames listed first.
    • High Bridge
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Note: We haven't been able to verify our GPS coordinates for High Bridge. Although the coordinates have been estimated, they should be in the vicinity.<3>
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for High Bridge
      • High Bridge is located in Dallas County
    • Xenia
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Xenia
      • Xenia is located in Dallas County
    • Woodward
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
    • Granger
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Bouton
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Bouton have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bouton
      • Bouton is located in Dallas County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 125 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Bouton <2>
    • Minburn
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Minburn have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Minburn
      • Minburn is located in Dallas County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 357 people
    • Perry
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Dallas Center
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
  • Greene County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ames, with the one closest to Ames listed first.
    • Rippey
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rippey
      • Rippey is located in Greene County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 269 people
    • Grand Junction
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Grand Junction have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grand Junction
      • Grand Junction is located in Greene County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 757 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Grand Junction <2>
  • Hamilton County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ames, with the one closest to Ames listed first.
    • Randall
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Randall
      • Randall is located in Hamilton County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 166 people
    • Jewell
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jewell
      • Jewell is located in Hamilton County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,138 people
      • Jewell has also been known as:
      • Jewell Junction
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Jewell <2>
    • Ellsworth
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
    • Stanhope
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Stanhope have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stanhope
      • Stanhope is located in Hamilton County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 394 people
    • Stratford
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Stratford have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stratford
      • Stratford is located in Hamilton County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 692 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Stratford <2>
    • Kamrar
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
  • Hardin County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ames, with the one closest to Ames listed first.
    • Garden City
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Garden City have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garden City
      • Garden City is located in Hardin County
    • Radcliffe
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Hubbard
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Hubbard have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hubbard
      • Hubbard is located in Hardin County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 793 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Hubbard <2>
    • New Providence
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for New Providence have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Providence
      • New Providence is located in Hardin County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 220 people
    • Buckeye
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Buckeye have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buckeye
      • Buckeye is located in Hardin County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 107 people
  • Jasper County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ames, with the one closest to Ames listed first.
    • Clyde
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Clyde have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clyde
      • Clyde is located in Jasper County
    • Mingo
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Valeria
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Valeria have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Valeria
      • Valeria is located in Jasper County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 58 people
    • Green Castle
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Castle
      • Green Castle is located in Jasper County
    • Ira
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ira
      • Ira is located in Jasper County
    • Baxter
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Oswalt
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oswalt
      • Oswalt is located in Jasper County
    • Goddard
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goddard
      • Goddard is located in Jasper County
  • Marshall County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ames, with the one closest to Ames listed first.
    • Rhodes
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Rhodes have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rhodes
      • Rhodes is located in Marshall County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 298 people
    • Saint Anthony
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Saint Anthony have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Anthony
      • Saint Anthony is located in Marshall County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 101 people
    • State Center
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for State Center have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for State Center
      • State Center is located in Marshall County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,432 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for State Center <2>
    • Clemons
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Clemons have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clemons
      • Clemons is located in Marshall County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 141 people
    • Melbourne
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
    • LaMoille
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for LaMoille
      • LaMoille is located in Marshall County
  • Polk County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ames, with the one closest to Ames listed first.
    • Sheldahl
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sheldahl
      • Sheldahl is located in Polk County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 325 people
    • Alleman
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alleman
      • Alleman is located in Polk County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 447 people
    • Polk City Junction
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Polk City Junction have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Polk City Junction
      • Polk City Junction is located in Polk County
    • Elkhart
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
    • Loring
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loring
      • Loring is located in Polk County
    • Polk City
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
    • Andrews
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Andrews
      • Andrews is located in Polk County
    • Ankeny
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Ankeny have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ankeny
      • Ankeny is located in Polk County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 70,068 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Ankeny <2>
    • Herrold
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Herrold
      • Herrold is located in Polk County
    • Johnston
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Johnston have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Johnston
      • Johnston is located in Polk County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 23,092 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Johnston <2>
    • Saylorville
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Saylorville have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saylorville
      • Saylorville is located in Polk County
    • Bondurant
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Bondurant have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bondurant
      • Bondurant is located in Polk County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 7,293 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Bondurant <2>
    • Grimes
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
  • Webster County
    • Dayton
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Dayton have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dayton
      • Dayton is located in Webster County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 781 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Dayton <2>

For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Ames, see our County-by-County Page for Ames.

Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Ames ...

An ongoing effort between the Library of Congress and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) has resulted in the National Digital Newspaper Program (NDNP).

To share their results, the partnership has created the Chronicling America website. The goal of this partnership is to assemble a database about the current and historic newspapers of the United States. This includes a growing collection of scanned images from selected papers. All of it available to the public on their website.

Using information that we've taken from the Chronicling America website, we've identified 195 newspapers that have been published in the area around Ames.

We have organized these newspapers into two lists:

  • A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Ames. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Ames and those printed in the larger area surrounding Ames.
  • An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<4> of Ames.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we begin with the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These websites either offer the information directly or else point to where you can find it. Their information is open to everyone.

To help you get started, the following links will take you to the pages that are relevant to Ames:

Cemeteries Near Ames ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Ames.

This is a new section and is likely to have errors. If you find an error, such as a missing cemetery or we have the wrong name, please let us know. If you know of them, we would also appreciate learning about previous or alternate names.

If you need information about a burial or interment, photos, transcripts, how to contact the cemetery or local authorities, please visit our selection of Genealogy Websites (see below).

If not found below, our Cemetery List for Ames covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.

The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Ames, with the one closest to Ames listed first.

  • Ames Municipal Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the east)
  • College Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the College Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the College Cemetery
  • Memorial Gardens Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Memorial Gardens Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Memorial Gardens Cemetery
  • Sunday Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Sunday Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Sunday Cemetery
  • Bloomington Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Bloomington Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Bloomington Cemetery
  • Ontario Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Ontario Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Ontario Cemetery
  • McMichael Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the McMichael Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the McMichael Cemetery
  • Arrasmith Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Arrasmith Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Arrasmith Cemetery
  • Olive Branch Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Olive Branch Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Olive Branch Cemetery
  • Walnut Grove Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Walnut Grove Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Walnut Grove Cemetery
  • Bethany Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Bethany Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Bethany Cemetery
  • Lincoln Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Lincoln Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Lincoln Cemetery
  • Continue List   (261 more) ...
    • Pleasant Grove Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Pleasant Grove Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Pleasant Grove Cemetery
    • Gilbert Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Gilbert Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Gilbert Cemetery
    • South St. Petri Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the South St. Petri Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the South St. Petri Cemetery

Nearby Communities in 1895 ...

We've built the following list with information that came from an Atlas published by Rand McNally in 1895. The Atlas had details such as the population of the community (which appears to have come from the 1890 Census) and whether there was a post office and/or railroad service available. We also indicate if the community no longer exists and is now historic.<6>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Ames had a population of 1,276 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Ames had a population of 67,033 people.

These communities are listed based on their distance from Ames, with the one closest to Ames listed first.

  • Ontario
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Ontario have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ontario
    • Ontario is located in Story County
  • Kelley
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Gilbert
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Huxley
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Huxley have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huxley
    • Huxley is located in Story County
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 4,270 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Huxley <2>
  • Cambridge
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Cambridge have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cambridge
    • Cambridge is located in Story County
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 796 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Cambridge <2>
  • Nevada
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
  • Luther
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Luther have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Luther
    • Luther is located in Boone County
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 133 people
  • Slater
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
  • Sheldahl
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sheldahl
    • Sheldahl is located in Polk County
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 325 people
  • Mackey
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Mackey have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mackey
    • Mackey is located in Boone County
  • Story City
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
  • Roland
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roland
    • Roland is located in Story County
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,252 people
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Boone
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
    • Madrid
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Rosendale
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Rosendale have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rosendale
      • Rosendale is located in Hamilton County

We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Ames. See our List of 1890's Communities around Ames.

The official website for Ames: www.city.ames.ia.us/

The official website for Story County: www.storycounty.com/

The official website for State of Iowa: https://www.iowa.gov/

Footnotes ...

<1>The location has been supplied by the Geographic Names Information System - which is maintained by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). While these values should be definitive, we found that accuracy can vary and you should double-check the location if accuracy is required.
<2>While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program.
<3>An 'estimated' location is one where we have been given GPS coordinates, but are unable to verify the accuracy of those coordinates. That said, we have some confidence that we have placed the marker near the actual location. A typical reason for being unable to verify a location is that it might be on private property or maybe historic and gone without an obvious trace.
<4>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'point-to-point' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Ames) to Point B.Our distance measurements begin at a specific point in Ames. The point we use is located at these GPS coordinates - Latitude: 42.0227, Longitude: -93.6332    
<5>The Find-a-Grave website is an excellent research tool with information about a cemetery's location and interments. They also offer a forum for their members which can provide additional help. More information about Find-a-Grave can be found on their website: findagrave.com.
<6>We use the term 'Historic' broadly and it generally means that the community no longer exists. However, it can also mean that the community might still exist, but was significantly larger or had a more 'official' existence in the past than it does now. Unfortunately our sources of data have proven to be unreliable. If you can provide us with more specific information about Ames, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.




 

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This page was last modified/updated: 07 Apr 2024