Story County Genealogical Society

04/11/2026

Read your favorite newspapers for FREE with your Library card! 📰

Our subscriptions get you free online access to popular news sources without the pay wall:
☕ Start your day with The New York Times
📣 Get the Latest from The Wall Street Journal
🌏 Stay informed with local, national, and international newspapers through NewsBank's Access World News

Get started at www.AmesPL.org/databases

04/11/2026

Ready to delve into the U.S. Constitution? 📜🦅

Join Ames Public Library and ISU's Greenlee School of Journalism for a discussion of A.J. Jacobs book, "The Year of Living Constitutionally."

📆 Tuesday, April 14, at 7pm
Ames Public Library's Danfoss Room

In "The Year of Living Constitutionally," author A. J. Jacobs dons a tricorn hat and sets out to understand what exactly the Founders were thinking when they wrote the U.S. Constitution.

Join us for a discussion of his hilarious and surprisingly educational book.

Iowa State University Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication Ames Public Library Friends Foundation

04/11/2026

During the 1800s, nearly 6 million Germans immigrated to the United States. Many of them settled in Iowa and lively German-speaking communities emerged in every county of the state, proudly declaring their heritage.

Where did they go? 🤔

Find out at a Genealogy Plus presentation at the Library Wednesday, April 15, from 10am until noon.

Dr. Jeremy Best will offer a presentation explaining why so many Iowans' German ancestors "disappeared."

Find out more at www.AmesPL.org.

Story County Genealogical Society

04/11/2026

How to Find Your Ancestor's Obituary
Sometimes it can be tricky to locate your ancestor's obituary because a copy of the newspaper you need could be in a number of possible locations. Here are some methods that you can take to locate an obituary: https://ldsgenealogy.com/How-to-Find-Your-Ancestors-Obituary.htm

04/11/2026

The Ames Pantorium Building is 100 years old this month. Visit the Ames History Museum.

04/11/2026

We may wish it was a little warmer this week but at least we're not having weather like 1973! ❄️

This week in Ames history: Heavy snow clogged central Iowa after twelve inches fell between April 8-10, 1973.

The blowing snow buried many cars up to their hoods, and some parking meters on Main Street were completely covered. Snowmobiles became the only reliable way to get patients and staff to Mary Greeley Hospital. So many cars were abandoned on the roads that it was difficult for snowplows to eventually clear the roads.

This photo is looking east down Main Street with the Sheldon-Munn Hotel in center.

04/11/2026

Join us today for free admission and cupcakes in celebration of the Pantorium's 100th birthday! 🧁💯🎉

Open 10am-4pm

03/27/2026

Ever wondered what Iowa looked like before towns, roads, and boundaries? Tune in on Wednesday, April 1, at 10:00 AM, author, historian, and Notes on Iowa founder Kevin Mason will be live on Talk of Iowa on Iowa Public Radio.

He’ll be discussing his new book, "Retracing the Dragoon Trail in Iowa," on its day of release from Michigan State University Press. The book offers a journey through the landscapes, stories, and legacies of the 1835 Dragoon Expedition, which helped shape the state we know today.

If you’re interested in Iowa’s past, the connections between people and place, or the stories that still echo along the Des Moines River, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.

03/25/2026

https://genealogybargains.com/newspaper-finder/ Ever have that "why did no one tell me about this sooner?" moment? 🤦‍♂️📖

If you’ve been spending hours hunting for historical newspaper archives and hitting brick walls, you need to meet Newspaper Finder.

Most of us know that birth and death certificates are great, but they’re "dry"—they give you names and dates, but newspapers give you the stories. We’re talking about:

Detailed obituaries naming every surviving sibling

Marriage announcements mentioning hometowns in Ireland or Italy

Small-town news about your great-grandfather’s "unlicensed still" (no judgment!)

The problem? These archives are scattered across state libraries, universities, and local societies. Newspaper Finder is a FREE directory that does the searching for you. It points you exactly where the digital archive lives so you don't waste time (or subscription money!) on things already available for free.

Stop guessing and start searching. Your ancestors made the news—go find them! 👇 Read the full guide at Genealogy Bargains: https://genealogybargains.com/newspaper-finder/

03/22/2026

Today in Ames history: On March 22, 1858, the Iowa Agricultural College and Model Farm (now Iowa State University) was officially established by the Iowa General Assembly.

The next June, Story County was chosen as the location, defeating proposals from Johnson, Kossuth, Marshall, and Polk Counties. Construction of the new college was slowed by the Civil War and inadequate funding.

In 1862, President Lincoln signed the Morrill Act into law to establish land-grant colleges focused on teaching agriculture, science, military science, and engineering. Iowa was the first state to accept the Morrill Act, awarding the grant to Iowa Agricultural College. Classes opened in 1869.

Happy birthday, Iowa State University!

Images from the 1875 Andreas Atlas.

03/22/2026

Come to the Library for a presentation and conversation with Civil War re-enactor, historian, and writer O.J. Fargo as part of the Ames History Museum Lecture Series:

Just Before the Battle Mother: A Visit from a Civil War Soldier
Tuesday, March 24
7pm, Auditorium and online via Zoom

Dressed in full Union Army regalia, O.J. Fargo focuses his first person presentation on an individual Iowa soldier’s Civil War experience. He will detail the experiences of an Iowan during the conflict.

Fargo will also bring an artifact display and full electronic Civil War roster of all men who served in and from Iowa, searchable by name, city, county and/or birthplace.

Find out more at www.ameshistory.org

Ames History Museum

03/18/2026