Ames Historical Society

Ames Historical Society is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 1980 as Ames Heritage Association. Our founder was Ames historian, Farwell T. Brown, whose historical writings and research have inspired residents to appreciate and preserve the history of Ames. The immediate impetus for founding of the Association was the opportunity to save and restore Ames' first schoolhouse, Hoggatt School. Other ventures have included the Bauge Log Home and the Story Center pilot museum. The organization's name was changed to Ames Historical Society in 2003. The Society currently maintains the Ames History Center and Hoggatt School. Now with three full-time staff members, the Society provides preservation for a collection of archives and artifacts, exhibits, research assistance, and programming to connect Ames residents and visitors with the past.