The story with Giant Georges almost made me cry.
Must see places in Ames?
- Thread starter MCooley
- Start date
Ames is an awesome college town. The beautiful campus and all the University events are the main attraction
Depending on your interests here are a few options:
Depending on your interests here are a few options:
Reiman Gardens
Ledges State Park
Des Moines Farmers (sat mornings)
National Wrestling Hall of Fame in Waterloo
These are central Iowa not just Ames- google them for more details
Ledges State Park
Des Moines Farmers (sat mornings)
National Wrestling Hall of Fame in Waterloo
These are central Iowa not just Ames- google them for more details
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First time seeing this thread. At first I thought it'd turn into a hickory park fight, sadly it didn't. Then I thought someone would mention the shrine, but that's not so interesting now we know the truth, and I thought someone would bump the urban exploration (best thread ever) thread, it all happened.
so I got nothing...
so I got nothing...
I don't know if you can still get up there, but the old Legends restaurant in Campustown had a very unique view of the campus from up high.
The best "must see" things in Ames are event-related, such as tailgating for football and camping out for basketball.
If I were you, I would try to weasel my way into as many of the practice facilities as I could. Football, Basketball, Gymnastics, Tennis, Golf.
The best "must see" things in Ames are event-related, such as tailgating for football and camping out for basketball.
If I were you, I would try to weasel my way into as many of the practice facilities as I could. Football, Basketball, Gymnastics, Tennis, Golf.
Enjoy your trip Mr Cooley. I hope Austin and you enjoy Iowa State and Ames, Iowa. I loved going to college at Iowa State.
Hope to meet you at one of the events if Austin decides to become a Cyclone!
Hope to meet you at one of the events if Austin decides to become a Cyclone!
Agreed. Have a great visit. Ames is unique and great town. Looking forward to cheering on your son if he dons the cardinal and gold.
I also remember seeing him wrestle at Preps. He is a tough kid! He would be a tremendous asset to the program. I hope you enjoy your visit.
On the east side of Peterson Pits, if you walk the trails you come across an old cemetery. It’s like 10 or so bodies of early Ames settlers. Pretty cool.
There are some Grant Wood murals in the library. His most famous painting is American Gothic, which I believe was on loan from the Chicago Art Institute, for a special major exhibition of his work that finished just yesterday, at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York.
Below are links with more information, including a video of the ISU library murals from the Whitney Museum:
https://www.lib.iastate.edu/about-library/art/grant-wood-murals
https://isuartandhistory.wordpress.com/tag/grant-wood/
https://www.museums.iastate.edu/about/blog/2017/07/17/the-fortunes-and-misfortunes-of-grant-wood
Whitney exhibit
https://whitney.org/Exhibitions/GrantWood?catype=general&catword=+whitney +grant +wood +exhibit&creativeid=253582583009&gclid=Cj0KCQjwu_jYBRD8ARIsAC3EGCLe3bg0s8e4-S5jqKzDxnTMw-mBuxO-XgfUgPyQH-lXjOYE9whFJo0aAtnxEALw_wcB
Whitney ISU library video
https://whitney.org/WatchAndListen/36821
Nearly 30 years ago, I was surprised to see the model for the mural “Breaking the Prairie Sod” at a small special exhibition at the Whitney. I recognized it immediately and knew more than the curator on hand at that moment. The mural itself is actually three dimensional, as it is on three walls. In the model you can see slats of wood (parts of the frame) at the corners where the walls meet. You can see the model (and more) at this link by scrolling about half way down:
http://poulwebb.blogspot.com/2014/08/grant-wood-part-2.html?m=1
Below are links with more information, including a video of the ISU library murals from the Whitney Museum:
https://www.lib.iastate.edu/about-library/art/grant-wood-murals
https://isuartandhistory.wordpress.com/tag/grant-wood/
https://www.museums.iastate.edu/about/blog/2017/07/17/the-fortunes-and-misfortunes-of-grant-wood
Whitney exhibit
https://whitney.org/Exhibitions/GrantWood?catype=general&catword=+whitney +grant +wood +exhibit&creativeid=253582583009&gclid=Cj0KCQjwu_jYBRD8ARIsAC3EGCLe3bg0s8e4-S5jqKzDxnTMw-mBuxO-XgfUgPyQH-lXjOYE9whFJo0aAtnxEALw_wcB
Whitney ISU library video
https://whitney.org/WatchAndListen/36821
Nearly 30 years ago, I was surprised to see the model for the mural “Breaking the Prairie Sod” at a small special exhibition at the Whitney. I recognized it immediately and knew more than the curator on hand at that moment. The mural itself is actually three dimensional, as it is on three walls. In the model you can see slats of wood (parts of the frame) at the corners where the walls meet. You can see the model (and more) at this link by scrolling about half way down:
http://poulwebb.blogspot.com/2014/08/grant-wood-part-2.html?m=1
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I thought you could see a replica of the first electronic digital computer, but it appears it is on display at a museum in California until at least 2020, according to this 2009 article:
https://www.news.iastate.edu/news/2009/dec/ABC
Maybe there is other information about it still in the Durham Center or elsewhere on campus. From the link:
A display about the development and history of the ABC - including replicas of several vacuum tubes and one of the machine's rotating drums - will remain in the Durham Center. ...
https://www.news.iastate.edu/news/2009/dec/ABC
Maybe there is other information about it still in the Durham Center or elsewhere on campus. From the link:
A display about the development and history of the ABC - including replicas of several vacuum tubes and one of the machine's rotating drums - will remain in the Durham Center. ...
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The ABC computer was invented to do all the calculations that were being done by hand, related primarily to agricultural research being conducted or organized by Henry A, Wallace, IIRC — or for use in the Statistics lab. Wallace’s father was an ISU professor and a Secretary of Agriculture in the 1920s. His grandfather (IIRC) farmed near Adair in southwest Iowa, and started the popular statewide magazine Wallace’s Farmer. Henry A. Wallace started Pioneer Seed in Ankeny, that was bought out by DuPont maybe 20 years ago or so. He was also Secretary of Agriculture for FDR, later Vice-President, and ran for President himself in 1948. After that, I think he raised chickens and developed new genetic lines in upstate New York. But again, the impetus for the ABC computer was all the calculations that went into, say, measuring yield, for example, and testing for statistically significant differences, between one variety of seed versus another. Or for experimentation. I think the ABC kind of fell by the wayside when the inventor, Professor Atanasoff, who was a physics professor and consultant to the Statistics lab, went to work in Washington DC during WWII.
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You can’t and wouldn’t miss it, but the central campus is very nice.
I guess it is a myth that the famous landscape designer and the designer of Central Park, Frederick Olmsted, designed it, though his sons had some input in a 1906 report:
https://isuspecialcollections.wordp...es-central-campus-a-brief-history-and-a-myth/
That it was a believable myth attests to its nature.
I guess it is a myth that the famous landscape designer and the designer of Central Park, Frederick Olmsted, designed it, though his sons had some input in a 1906 report:
https://isuspecialcollections.wordp...es-central-campus-a-brief-history-and-a-myth/
That it was a believable myth attests to its nature.
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Not sure what your son is into, but Ada Hayden park is just north of town. Great place to go as a student for a walk, fish, etc. https://www.cityofames.org/Home/Components/FacilityDirectory/FacilityDirectory/2/471
Many great restaurants shared on here, too.
A simple drive can give a good perspective of Ames...drive north on Duff as it passes several parks, turns into Grand, head south towards Lincoln way....just drive around off the beaten path a bit as I feel it gives a good feel of Ames (like in the neighborhoods back to the north of Lincoln way, west of campus, etc.
Many great restaurants shared on here, too.
A simple drive can give a good perspective of Ames...drive north on Duff as it passes several parks, turns into Grand, head south towards Lincoln way....just drive around off the beaten path a bit as I feel it gives a good feel of Ames (like in the neighborhoods back to the north of Lincoln way, west of campus, etc.
