Ankeny was founded by John Ankeny in 1874 and was incorporated on February 28, 1903. A railroad link from Des Moines through Ankeny to Ames was completed in 1874 and passenger service was established in 1880. 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. The 2005 special census count of 36,161 makes Ankeny the third-largest city in Polk County, behind Des Moines and West Des Moines. The Ankeny Chamber of Commerce estimates that the city's population will reach 55,000 by 2020.

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