Time Zone |
America/Anchorage |
Standard Time GMT / UTC |
UTC-9 |
Daylight Saving Time |
UTC-8 |
Time Zone |
America/Chicago |
Standard Time GMT / UTC |
UTC-6 |
Daylight Saving Time |
UTC-5 |
McGrath is a small city in the U.S. state of Alaska, located along the Kuskokwim River in the interior of the state, about 350 kilometers from Anchorage. With a population of about 300, the city is known for its Native American culture and gold rush history, and is an important transportation and supply center for the remote surrounding villages. The climate of McGrath is subarctic, with long, bitterly cold winters and short, mild summers when the aurora borealis is common. The economy is based on hunting, fishing and tourism, attracting outdoor enthusiasts for dog sledding, fishing and wilderness exploration. Its name derives from early gold prospectors, and it still retains the unique character of an Alaskan frontier community.
Ames is located in the central part of the U.S. state of Iowa, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) north of the capital city of Des Moines, and is one of the county seats of Boyd and Story counties, as well as the state's most important educational and livable city. As the home of Iowa State University (ISU), Ames has been deeply tied to the university since its founding in 1888, and the university is nationally renowned for its agricultural engineering, veterinary medicine, materials science and other disciplines, infusing the city with a strong academic and innovative atmosphere. With the university's resources, Ames has developed into a center for biotechnology, high-end manufacturing and aerospace research, with leading research institutions such as the National Advanced Driving Simulator Laboratory. With a population of approximately 66,000 (2020 data), the city has been repeatedly recognized as one of the safest and most livable areas in the nation, combining urban convenience with a small-town friendliness that attracts numerous academic conferences and tourists each year.