209.1188.2-5

An aerial, taken sometime between 1946 and 1949, showing downtown Ames. The photo runs from east to west (bottom to top). In the lower right of the photo can be seen a city water tower. In the middle of the photo is the tower of the Ames power plant and to the right of that is Bandshell Park. The tracks of the Chicago & North Western Railroad bisect the photo. To the right of the tracks, in the middle of the aerial, can be seen Main Street, Fifth Street, and Sixth Street. Allen Motor Company (later, Benson Motors) is visible fronting on Fifth Street (201 Fifth Street) and behind it to the north but obscured, is the Ames Public Library. Prominent along Sixth Street is the First Methodist Church, the post office, and both Ames Junior High School (the east building, razed in 1981) and Ames High School (since 1990, Ames City Hall).