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is a city in Polk County, Iowa, United States. The population was 27,118 at the 2000 census, while a special census taken by the city in 2005 counted 36,161 residents. It is part of the Des Moines–West Des Moines Metropolitan Statistical Area. It is also known for being the birthplace of Slipknot custom percussionist Chris Fehn.
February 28, 1903. A railroad link from Des Moines through Ankeny to Ames was completed in 1874 and passenger service 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, which plans to develop it into a mixed-use development known as "Prairie Trail."
In 1940 Ankeny had a population of 779, but its population began to grow with the rest of the Des Moines suburbs after World War II. Ankeny's population jumped from 2,964 to 9,151 between 1960 and 1970. By 1990 it had 18,482 people, and in 2000 the population was at 27,117. 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.