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Ankeny, Iowa

Ankeny, Iowa
City
Ankeny City Hall
Ankeny City Hall
Official seal of Ankeny, Iowa
Seal
Motto: "Bringing it all together"
Location in the State of Iowa
Location in the State of Iowa
Ankeny, Iowa is located in the US
Ankeny, Iowa
Ankeny, Iowa
Location in the United States
Coordinates: 41°43′36″N 93°36′15″W / 41.72667°N 93.60417°W / 41.72667; -93.60417Coordinates: 41°43′36″N 93°36′15″W / 41.72667°N 93.60417°W / 41.72667; -93.60417
Country  United States
State  Iowa
County Polk
Incorporated February 28, 1903
Government
 • Mayor Gary Lorenz
Area
 • Total 29.33 sq mi (75.96 km2)
 • Land 29.33 sq mi (75.96 km2)
 • Water 0 sq mi (0 km2)
Elevation 909 ft (277 m)
Population (2010)
 • Total 45,582
 • Estimate (2014) 54,598
 • Rank 11th in Iowa
 • Density 1,554.1/sq mi (600.0/km2)
Time zone CST (UTC-6)
 • Summer (DST) CDT (UTC-5)
ZIP codes 50015, 50021, 50023
Area code(s) 515
FIPS code 19-02305
GNIS feature ID 0454194
Website City of Ankeny

Ankeny is a city in Polk County, Iowa, United States. The population was 45,562 in the 2010 census, an increase of 68% from the 27,117 population in the 2000 census. It is part of the Des MoinesWest Des Moines Metropolitan Statistical Area. It is one of the most affluent cities in all of Iowa.

Ankeny was founded by John and Sarah Ankeny in 1875 and was incorporated on February 28, 1903. A railroad link from Des Moines through Ankeny to Ames was completed in 1874 and passenger service established in 1880.

Coal mining became an important activity in the Ankeny area in the early 20th century. The Anderson Coal Company sank a shaft 2 miles (3 km) southeast of Ankeny in 1908. Enterprise, 4 miles (6 km) east of Ankeny, was the company town of the Enterprise Coal Company, with two large mines opened in 1903 and 1907. In 1914, the Enterprise Coal Company produced over 100,000 tons of coal, ranking among the top 24 coal producers in the state. In 1912, United Mine Workers Local 2476 in Ankeny had 246 members, over half of the total population at the time, and Local 2511 in Enterprise had 395 members.

Ankeny started off as just one square mile, and just 445 people. Electricity was first introduced in 1907. Ankeny's first fire department was established in 1907 and was volunteer-based. They had only three ladders and 14 water pails when the department started.

During World War II Ankeny was home to a federal ordnance plant that manufactured ammunition. After the war, Deere & Company purchased the plant for its Des Moines Works, while Iowa State University used the remainder of the land for its research farm. In June 2005 ISU sold the land to the city of Ankeny, which plans to develop it into a mixed-use development known as "Prairie Trail."


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