For 150 years, the city of Ames and Iowa State have referred to Iowa State’s gateway street as Elwood Drive. But at 11:22 a.m. Monday, they said goodbye to Elwood Drive and hello to University Boulevard.

“This is a great entryway to the university,” said ISU President Gregory Geoffroy before being lifted in a bucket truck along with Ames Mayor Ann Campbell to unveil the new street sign. Geoffroy said he didn’t know what a bucket truck was until today, when he was lifted up 20 feet.

In recent years, Elwood Drive has become the main access to Iowa State and to its many sporting and arts events. According to the ceremony’s program, 1.5 million visitors use Elwood Drive as their main access to the university every year. Months before, the university petitioned the city to have the name changed to commemorate the university’s 150th anniversary and to make the campus easier to find for people unfamiliar with the campus and its location.

“I think it’s very exciting for the 150th anniversary,” said ISU alumna Renee Hansen. “Being an ISU alum, I think it will connect the community to the university as well.”

The Iowa Department of Transportation began changing the signs around the city and on the highway a few weeks ago.

“The DOT has been great partners in this,” said Catherine Brown, program coordinator for facilities planning and management. “We really appreciate their assistance.”

The changing of Elwood Drive to University Boulevard was a joint effort between the city of Ames, the Ames Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Chamber of Commerce.

“That will be a beautiful signage telling folks you’ve arrived at ISU,” Geoffroy said of the gateway structure west of Hilton Coliseum, currently under construction.

He said it would be to mainly provide an entrance and sign to the community.

Elwood Drive was named for ISU faculty member Philip Henry Elwood, who served as head of the landscape architecture department for 20 of his 27 years at the university. Elwood was known for organizing the landscape architecture program from 1923 to 1950.

The name change kicks off “ISU Week,” events recognizing and celebrating Iowa State’s 150th anniversary and the community of Ames. Events happening during ISU Week include half-price admission to Reiman Gardens, speaker Richard Florida at Stephens Auditorium, a MusicWalk in the Main Street Cultural district and an ISU College of Design exhibition during the Octagon Art Festival.