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Amherst () is a city in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States, in the
Connecticut River The Connecticut River is the longest river in the New England region of the United States, flowing roughly southward for through four states. It rises 300 yards (270 m) south of the U.S. border with Quebec, Canada, and discharges into Long Isl ...
valley. Amherst has a council–manager form of government, and is considered a city under Massachusetts state law. Amherst is one of several Massachusetts municipalities that have city forms of government but retain "The Town of" in their official names. At the 2020 census, the population was 39,263, making it the highest populated municipality in Hampshire County (although the county seat is
Northampton Northampton ( ) is a town and civil parish in Northamptonshire, England. It is the county town of Northamptonshire and the administrative centre of the Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority of West Northamptonshire. The town is sit ...
). The town is home to
Amherst College Amherst College ( ) is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1821 as an attempt to relocate Williams College by its then-president Zepha ...
,
Hampshire College Hampshire College is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Amherst, Massachusetts. It was opened in 1970 as an experiment in alternative education, in association with four other colleges ...
, and the University of Massachusetts Amherst, three of the Five Colleges. Amherst has three
census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a Place (United States Census Bureau), concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counte ...
s: Amherst Center, North Amherst, and South Amherst. Amherst is part of the
Springfield, Massachusetts Springfield is the most populous city in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States, and its county seat. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers: the western Westfield River, the ea ...
Metropolitan Statistical Area. Lying north of the city of Springfield, Amherst is considered the northernmost town in the Hartford–Springfield Metropolitan Region, "The Knowledge Corridor". Amherst is also located in the Pioneer Valley, which encompasses Hampshire, Hampden and Franklin counties.


Name

The name of the town is pronounced without the ''h'' ("AM-erst") by natives and long-time residents, giving rise to the local saying, "only the 'h' is silent", in reference both to the pronunciation and to the town's politically active populace.


History

The earliest known document of the lands now comprising Amherst is the deed of purchase dated December 1658 between John Pynchon of Springfield and three native inhabitants, referred to as Umpanchla, Quonquont, and Chickwalopp. According to the deed, "ye Indians of Nolwotogg (Norwottuck) upon ye River of Quinecticott (Connecticut)" sold the entire area in exchange for "two Hundred fatham of Wampam & Twenty fatham, and one large Coate at Eight fatham wch Chickwollop set of, of trusts, besides severall small giftes" . Amherst was first visited by Europeans no later than 1665, when Nathaniel Dickinson surveyed the lands for its mother town Hadley. The first permanent English settlements arrived in 1727. It remained a part of Hadley, even when it gained precinct status in 1734, before becoming a
township A township is a form of human settlement or administrative subdivision. Its exact definition varies among countries. Although the term is occasionally associated with an urban area, this tends to be an exception to the rule. In Australia, Canad ...
in 1759. When it incorporated, the colonial governor assigned the town the name "Amherst" after Jeffery Amherst, 1st Baron Amherst. Many a colonial governor at the time scattered his name during the influx of new town applications, which is why several towns in the Northeast bear the name. Amherst was Commander-in-Chief of the forces of North America during the
French and Indian War The French and Indian War, 1754 to 1763, was a colonial conflict in North America between Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and Kingdom of France, France, along with their respective Native Americans in the United States, Native American ...
who, according to popular legend, singlehandedly won Canada for the British and banished France from North America. Popular belief has it that he supported the American side in the Revolutionary War and resigned his commission rather than fight for the British. Baron Amherst actually remained in the service of the Crown during the war—albeit in Great Britain rather than North America—where he organized the defense against the proposed Franco-Spanish Armada of 1779. Nonetheless, his previous service in the French and Indian War meant he remained popular in New England. Amherst is also infamous for recommending, in a letter to a subordinate, the use of
smallpox Smallpox was an infectious disease caused by Variola virus (often called Smallpox virus), which belongs to the genus '' Orthopoxvirus''. The last naturally occurring case was diagnosed in October 1977, and the World Health Organization (W ...
-covered blankets in warfare against the Native Americans along with any "other method that can serve to Extirpate this Execrable Race". For this reason, there have been occasional ad hoc movements to rename the town. Amherst celebrated its 250th anniversary in 2009. The Amherst 250th Anniversary Celebration Committee and Amherst Historical Society organized events, including a book published by the Historical Society and written by Elizabeth M. Sharpe, ''Amherst A to Z''. In 2021 the City Council voted to establish the Amherst African Heritage Reparation Assembly to study reparations for the town's black residents. In 2022, at the Assembly's suggestion, the City Council approved $2,000,000 of initial funding for reparations.


History of town government

The Town converted from an open town meeting to a representative town meeting form in 1938.Amherst League of Women Voters
"Your Amherst Government"
(2009).
In 1953, Amherst voters passed the "Town Manager Act", which established the office of a town manager and reduced a number of elected positions. In 1995, a charter commission was approved to study Amherst's government; the charter majority recommended a seven-person Council and a mayor, while also maintaining a reduced size representative Town Meeting (150). This proposal failed in two successive votes. In 2001, the League of Women Voters Amherst made a number of recommendations that were adopted in 2001 in the form of a revised "Amherst Town Government Act". An effort shortly thereafter to amend the charter to eliminate the town meeting, and establish an elected mayor and a nine-member Town Council, was rejected by voters twice, first in spring 2003 by fourteen votes and again on March 29, 2005 by 252 votes. In 2016, a charter commission was approved to study Amherst's government. A majority of commissioners proposed a charter that would establish a 13-member council with no mayor. This proposal was voted on the March 27, 2018 local ballot, and was passed by over 1,000 votes, a 58% majority. The new town council was sworn in on December 2, 2018.


Geography

According to the
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
, Amherst has a total area of , of which are land and , or 0.48%, are water. The town is bordered by Hadley to the west,
Sunderland Sunderland () is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England. It is a port at the mouth of the River Wear on the North Sea, approximately south-east of Newcastle upon Tyne. It is the most p ...
and Leverett to the north, Shutesbury, Pelham, and Belchertown to the east, and Granby and South Hadley to the south. The highest point in the town is on the northern shoulder of Mount Norwottuck at the southern border of the town; the peak is in Granby but the town's high point is a few yards away and is about . This point is located in the Mount Holyoke Range, which forms the so-called " Tofu Curtain". Amherst is nearly equidistant from Massachusetts' borders with
Connecticut Connecticut ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York (state), New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. ...
and
Vermont Vermont () is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, New York (state), New York to the west, and the Provinces and territories of Ca ...
. Amherst's ZIP Code of 01002 is the second-lowest number in the continental United States after Agawam (not counting codes used for specific government buildings such as the
IRS The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is the revenue service for the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government, which is responsible for collecting Taxation in the United States, U.S. federal taxes and administerin ...
).


Climate

Amherst has a
humid continental climate A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers, and cold ...
that under the Köppen system marginally falls into the warm-summer category (''Dfb''). It is interchangeable with the hot-summer subtype ''Dfa'' with July means hovering around . Winters are cold and snowy, albeit daytime temperatures often remain above freezing. Under the 2012 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone system, Amherst (ZIP Code 01002) is in zone 5b; however, Amherst closely borders zone 6a, which penetrates into Massachusetts in the Connecticut River Valley, and climate change may be shifting those zones.


Demographics

As of the 2010 U.S. census, there were 37,819 people, 9,259 households, and 4,484 families residing in the town. There were 9,711 housing units. The racial makeup of the town was 76.9% White, 5.4% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American, 10.9% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 2.4% some other race, and 4.1% from two or more races. 7.3% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Of the 9,259 households in the town, 23.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.6% were headed by
married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...
living together, 16.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 51.6% were non-families. Of all households, 27.3% were made up of individuals, and 9.7% were someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.88. In the town, 10.0% of the population were under the age of 18, 55.7% were from 18 to 24, 13.3% were from 25 to 44, 13.6% were from 45 to 64, and 7.4% were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 21.6 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.7 males. For the period 2011–2015, the estimated median annual income for a household in the town was $48,059, and the median income for a family was $96,005. Male full-time workers had a median income of $64,750 versus $39,278 for females. The
per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...
for the town was $18,905. About 8.7% of families and 34.7% of the population were below the
poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
, including 18.2% of those under age 18 and 4.5% of those age 65 or over. Of residents 25 years old or older, 41.7% have a graduate or professional degree, and only 4.9% did not graduate from high school. The largest industry is education, health, and social services, in which 51.9% of employed persons work. These statistics given above include some but not all of the large
student A student is a person enrolled in a school or other educational institution, or more generally, a person who takes a special interest in a subject. In the United Kingdom and most The Commonwealth, commonwealth countries, a "student" attends ...
population, roughly 30,000 in 2010, many of whom only reside in the town part of the year. Amherst is home to thousands of part-time and full-time residents associated with the University of Massachusetts Amherst,
Amherst College Amherst College ( ) is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1821 as an attempt to relocate Williams College by its then-president Zepha ...
, and
Hampshire College Hampshire College is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Amherst, Massachusetts. It was opened in 1970 as an experiment in alternative education, in association with four other colleges ...
.


Income

Data is from the 2009–2013 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates.


Economy

Major employers in Amherst include University of Massachusetts Amherst,
Amherst College Amherst College ( ) is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1821 as an attempt to relocate Williams College by its then-president Zepha ...
, William D. Mullins Memorial Center,
Hampshire College Hampshire College is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Amherst, Massachusetts. It was opened in 1970 as an experiment in alternative education, in association with four other colleges ...
, and Amherst-Pelham Regional School District.


Arts and culture


Points of interest

* Amherst Center Cultural District, formed in 2016. * Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce * Amherst Cinema Arts Center: a local non-profit theater showing mostly arthouse and independent films * Amherst History Museum, which opened in 1916 and is governed by the Amherst Historical Society * Beneski Museum of Natural History, including the Hitchcock Ichnological Cabinet * Emily Dickinson Museum, birthplace and lifelong residence of poet Emily Dickinson, now a museum. * Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art * Hitchcock Center for the Environment, an environmental education center on the grounds of
Hampshire College Hampshire College is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Amherst, Massachusetts. It was opened in 1970 as an experiment in alternative education, in association with four other colleges ...
* Jones Library * Mead Art Museum at
Amherst College Amherst College ( ) is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1821 as an attempt to relocate Williams College by its then-president Zepha ...
: 18,000 items with a particular strength in American art * W. E. B. Du Bois Library at the University of Massachusetts Amherst: the tallest academic library in the United States


Sports

* Games were played in town during the 1996 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. * Amherst Regional High School's 1992–93 girls' basketball team inspired the book ''In These Girls, Hope is a Muscle'' by Madeleine Blais. * The University of Massachusetts Amherst's Ultimate Frisbee Team was ranked first in the Division 1 Men's Ultimate league for the 2017 season. * The Amherst Invitational, founded in 1992, is the oldest high school Ultimate Frisbee tournament in the United States.


Government

Amherst has a
town council A town council, city council or municipal council is a form of local government for small municipalities. Usage of the term varies under different jurisdictions. Republic of Ireland In 2002, 49 urban district councils and 26 town commissi ...
for its legislative branch and a town manager for its executive branch. The town manager is appointed by the town council. Amherst's town council consists of ten district councilors and three councilors-at-large. Two district councilors are elected from each of five districts in Amherst. The three councilors-at-large are elected by the whole town. Each councilor serves a two-year term, except for the first council, where each member will serve a three-year term. Amherst also has the following elected bodies: * A five-member School Committee with two-year terms. * A six-member library board of trustees with two-year terms. * A single Oliver Smith Will Elector with a two-year term. Amherst also has a five-member housing authority in which three of the five members are elected by voters. Each member serves a two-year term.


State and federal representation

In the Massachusetts Senate Amherst is in the "Hampshire, Franklin and Worcester" district, represented by Democratic State Senator Jo Comerford since January 2019. In the
Massachusetts House of Representatives The Massachusetts House of Representatives is the lower house of the Massachusetts General Court, the State legislature (United States), state legislature of Massachusetts. It is composed of 160 members elected from 14 counties each divided into ...
Amherst is in the 3rd Hampshire district, represented by Democratic State Representative Mindy Domb since January 2019. Amherst is part of the Eighth Massachusetts Governor's Council district and has been represented by Tara Jacobs since January 2023. Amherst is represented at the federal level by an all-Democratic delegation, including Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey, and by Representative Jim McGovern of the Second Congressional District of Massachusetts.


Voter registration

Voter registration data is from the state election enrollment statistics.


Politics

Like many college towns, Amherst leans heavily Democratic. In each of the presidential elections from 2012 to 2020, more than 80% of Amherst's votes went to the Democratic candidate. The last Republican to win Amherst on the Presidential level was
Richard Nixon Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913April 22, 1994) was the 37th president of the United States, serving from 1969 until Resignation of Richard Nixon, his resignation in 1974. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican ...
in 1960. In the
2020 United States presidential election United States presidential election, Presidential elections were held in the United States on November 3, 2020. The Democratic Party (United States), Democratic ticket of former vice president Joe Biden and California junior senator Kamala H ...
, Democrat
Joe Biden Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. (born November 20, 1942) is an American politician who was the 46th president of the United States from 2021 to 2025. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he served as the 47th vice p ...
received 90.3 percent of the vote to incumbent Republican
Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 45 ...
's 7.4 percent. In the
2000 United States presidential election United States presidential election, Presidential elections were held in the United States on November 7, 2000. Republican Party (United States), Republican Governor George W. Bush of Texas, the eldest son of 41st President George H. W. Bush, ...
, Amherst was one of a small number of places that delivered more votes for Green Party candidate Ralph Nader (who took 24% of the vote) than Republican candidate
George W. Bush George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician and businessman who was the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Bush family and the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he i ...
, who received just 13%.


Education

The town is part of the Amherst Regional School District along with Leverett, Pelham, and Shutesbury. Amherst has three elementary schools: Crocker Farm Elementary School, Fort River Elementary School, and Wildwood Elementary School serving K–6. Students in Amherst then attend Amherst Regional Middle School for grades 7–8. High school students then attend Amherst Regional High School. There are three tertiary institutions located in the town: the public University of Massachusetts Amherst (the flagship of the UMass system), and two private liberal arts colleges—
Amherst College Amherst College ( ) is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1821 as an attempt to relocate Williams College by its then-president Zepha ...
and
Hampshire College Hampshire College is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Amherst, Massachusetts. It was opened in 1970 as an experiment in alternative education, in association with four other colleges ...
.


Infrastructure


Transportation


Bus

The Pioneer Valley Transit Authority, funded by local governments and the
Five College Consortium The Five College Consortium (often referred to as simply the Five Colleges) comprises four Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts colleges and one university in the Connecticut River Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts: Am ...
, provides public transportation in the area, operated by University of Massachusetts Transportation Services. Service runs well into the early morning hours on weekends when school is in session. Students attending any colleges in the Five Colleges Consortium have a fee included in their tuition bills (service fee for UMass Amherst students and student activity fees for the other colleges) for each semester that prepays their bus fares for the semester. UMass Transit buses operate via a proof-of-payment system, in which there are random inspections of student identification cards and bus passes and transfers. Peter Pan Bus Lines provides service between Amherst and Springfield,
Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...
, and other locations in New England. Megabus provides service between
New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
, Amherst, and
Burlington, Vermont Burlington, officially the City of Burlington, is the List of municipalities in Vermont, most populous city in the U.S. state of Vermont and the county seat, seat of Chittenden County, Vermont, Chittenden County. It is located south of the Can ...
.


Rail

Amtrak The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Trade name, doing business as Amtrak (; ), is the national Passenger train, passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates intercity rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous United Stat ...
rail service is available in nearby
Northampton Northampton ( ) is a town and civil parish in Northamptonshire, England. It is the county town of Northamptonshire and the administrative centre of the Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority of West Northamptonshire. The town is sit ...
on the '' Vermonter'' service between Washington, D.C., and St. Albans, Vermont. More frequent Amtrak service to
New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
and Washington, D.C., is available from
Union Station A union station, union terminal, joint station, or joint-use station is a railway station at which the tracks and facilities are shared by two or more separate railway company, railway companies, allowing passengers to connect conveniently bet ...
in Springfield.


Airports

The closest major domestic and limited international air service is available through
Bradley International Airport Bradley International Airport – historically known as Bradley Field – is a public international airport in Windsor Locks, Connecticut, Windsor Locks, Connecticut, United States. Owned and operated by the Connecticut Airport Authority, Con ...
(BDL) in Windsor Locks, Connecticut. Bradley is located approximately one hour's driving time from Amherst. Major international service is available through Logan International Airport (BOS) in Boston, away. General aviation service is close by, at Northampton Airport, Westover Metropolitan Airport, and Turners Falls Airport.


Police report

Since 1997, the local newspaper, the ''Amherst Bulletin'', has published a weekly log of phone calls received by the Amherst Police Department. This police report, whose tone is deadpan and often unintentionally humorous, has been the subject of at least two books and a 2002 article in ''
Harper's Magazine ''Harper's Magazine'' is a monthly magazine of literature, politics, culture, finance, and the arts. Launched in New York City in June 1850, it is the oldest continuously published monthly magazine in the United States. ''Harper's Magazine'' has ...
'', "Gone When Police Got There". For example, an entry from the March 27, 2015 police report reads: "2:48 a.m.—An Ann Whalen Apartments resident awoke to find someone on her balcony looking into her bedroom. The woman later told police she thinks she may have been dreaming prior to calling 911."


Notable people


Historical

* Chinua Achebe (1930–2013), was a professor at the University of Massachusetts from 1972 to 1976 * Osmyn Baker (1800–1875), born in Amherst, United States Congressman and lawyer * Ray Stannard Baker (1870–1946), newspaperman, biographer of Woodrow Wilson * William S. Clark (1825–1886), Academician, politician, businessman; principal founder of the
Massachusetts Agricultural College The University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass Amherst) is a Public university, public land-grant university, land-grant research university in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States. It is the Flagship university, flagship campus of the Univer ...
(now the University of Massachusetts Amherst), founder of the Sapporo Agricultural College (now the Hokkaido University) * Mason Cook Darling (1801–1866), born in Amherst, United States Congressman from
Wisconsin Wisconsin ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest of the United States. It borders Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michig ...
and first mayor of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin * Melvil Dewey (1851–1931), devised the Dewey Decimal System while an assistant librarian at Amherst College in 1876 * Edward Dickinson (1803–1874), born in Amherst, lawyer, United States Congressman, and father of Emily Dickinson * Emily Dickinson (1830–1886), born and lived in Amherst, one of the most prominent and celebrated American poets * Eugene Field (1850–1895), raised in Amherst by cousin, Mary Field French; poet and humorist who wrote children's poem '' Wynken, Blynken, and Nod'' * Robert Francis (1901–1987), poet * Robert Frost (1874–1963), Pulitzer prize-winning poet who taught at
Amherst College Amherst College ( ) is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1821 as an attempt to relocate Williams College by its then-president Zepha ...
and retired there * Howard Roger Garis (1873–1962), children's author who wrote the Uncle Wiggily book series * Lilian Garis (1873–1954), author of juvenile fiction who under the pseudonym Laura Lee Hope wrote early volumes in the Bobbsey Twins series * Edward Hitchcock (1793–1864), educator, early geologist and a founder of the science of ichnology * Helen Hunt Jackson (1830–1885), born in Amherst, noted author best known for '' A Century of Dishonor'' and her novel '' Ramona'' * Arthur Lithgow (1915–2004), lived and died in Amherst, noted actor, producer and director of Shakespeare plays, founder of the Great Lakes Shakespeare Festival in Ohio (today known as the Great Lakes Theatre Festival), former director of the McCarter Theatre in Princeton, NJ, father of actor John Lithgow * Ebenezer Mattoon (1755–1843), born in North Amherst, Lieutenant in Continental Army during American Revolution, US Congressman (1801–1803). * Paul Nitze (1907–2004), born in Amherst, diplomat who helped shape defense policy over numerous presidential administrations * Julius Hawley Seelye (1824–1895), Amherst college professor, united States Representative (1875–1877), 5th President of Amherst College * Harlan Fiske Stone (1872–1946), attended public schools in Amherst and
Amherst College Amherst College ( ) is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1821 as an attempt to relocate Williams College by its then-president Zepha ...
; dean of the Columbia Law School, 52nd
Attorney General of the United States The United States attorney general is the head of the United States Department of Justice and serves as the chief law enforcement officer of the federal government. The attorney general acts as the principal legal advisor to the president of the ...
, and
Chief Justice of the United States The chief justice of the United States is the chief judge of the Supreme Court of the United States and is the highest-ranking officer of the U.S. federal judiciary. Appointments Clause, Article II, Section 2, Clause 2 of the U.S. Constitution g ...
* Mabel Loomis Todd (1856–1932), world traveler, edited and published the first volume of Emily Dickinson's poetry * Noah Webster (1758–1843), Author of ''An American Dictionary of the English Language''


Born or raised in Amherst

* Annie Baker, playwright * Thomas Bezucha, film & television director, writer, & producer * Emily Dickinson, poet * P. D. Eastman, children's author, illustrator, and screenwriter * Helen Palmer Geisel, children's author and first wife of Dr. Seuss * Michael Hixon, U.S. Olympic Athlete Rio 2016, men's individual 3 meter springboard; 3 meter springboard synchro * James D. Hornfischer, military historian and author * James Ihedigbo, Detroit Lions defensive back * Martin Johnson, of rock band Boys like Girls * John Leonard, ice hockey player * Ryan Leonard, ice hockey player * Amory Lovins, scientist and environmentalist * Michael E. Mann, climatologist *
J Mascis Joseph Donald Mascis Jr. (born December 10, 1965), better known as J Mascis, is an American musician who is the singer, guitarist and main songwriter for the alternative rock band Dinosaur Jr. He has also released several albums as a solo artist a ...
, singer, guitarist and songwriter for alternative rock band Dinosaur Jr. * Eric Mabius, star of ABC show ''
Ugly Betty ''Ugly Betty'' is an American comedy-drama television series developed by Silvio Horta, which aired on American Broadcasting Company, ABC from September 28, 2006, to April 14, 2010. It is based on the Colombian telenovela ''Yo soy Betty, la fea' ...
'', attended Amherst schools * Makaya McCraven, musician * Julie McNiven, actress with recurring roles on '' Mad Men'' and ''
Supernatural Supernatural phenomena or entities are those beyond the Scientific law, laws of nature. The term is derived from Medieval Latin , from Latin 'above, beyond, outside of' + 'nature'. Although the corollary term "nature" has had multiple meanin ...
'' * Ilan Mitchell-Smith, actor starring in 1985 film '' Weird Science'', attended Amherst public schools * Ebon Moss-Bachrach, actor with roles on '' The Bear'' and '' Girls'', raised in Amherst and attended Amherst public schools * Henry Addison Nelson (1820–1906), Presbyterian clergyman * Eli Noyes, animator, film producer, director * Gil Penchina, Former CEO of Wikia, Inc., attended the University of Massachusetts Amherst * John Pettes, US Marshal for Vermont, born in Amherst * Steve Porter, music producer * Allen St. Pierre, executive director of NORML, attended public schools in Amherst and graduated from the University of Massachusetts Amherst * Matt Reid, head baseball coach at
Army An army, ground force or land force is an armed force that fights primarily on land. In the broadest sense, it is the land-based military branch, service branch or armed service of a nation or country. It may also include aviation assets by ...
* Timothy Tau, writer and filmmaker, attended public schools in Amherst including Amherst Regional Middle School and Crocker Farm Elementary School *
Uma Thurman Uma Karuna Thurman (born April 29, 1970) is an American actress. She has performed in a variety of films, from romantic comedies and dramas to science fiction and action films. Following her appearances on the December 1985 and May 1986 cover ...
, Oscar-nominated actress, whose father, Robert Thurman, taught at Amherst College * Martin M. Wattenberg, artist and computer scientist * Zoe Weizenbaum, child actress * Jamila Wideman (born 1975), female left-handed point guard basketball player, lawyer and activist * Elisha Yaffe, comedian, actor, and producer * Kevin Ziomek, American professional
baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball sport played between two team sport, teams of nine players each, taking turns batting (baseball), batting and Fielding (baseball), fielding. The game occurs over the course of several Pitch ...
pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("Pitch (baseball), pitches") the Baseball (ball), baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of out (baseball), retiring a batter (baseball), batter, ...
in the
Detroit Tigers The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. One of the AL's eight chart ...
organization


Live/lived in Amherst

* Gavin Andresen, Bitcoin Foundation founder and former
Bitcoin Bitcoin (abbreviation: BTC; Currency symbol, sign: ₿) is the first Decentralized application, decentralized cryptocurrency. Based on a free-market ideology, bitcoin was invented in 2008 when an unknown entity published a white paper under ...
contributor * Christian Appy, author of ''Patriots'' and ''Working-Class War'', professor at University of Massachusetts Amherst * Christopher Benfey, author of ''The Great Wave'', professor at
Mount Holyoke College Mount Holyoke College is a Private college, private Women's colleges in the United States, women's Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in South Hadley, Massachusetts, United States. It is the oldest member of the h ...
* Holly Black, author of ''
Tithe A tithe (; from Old English: ''teogoþa'' "tenth") is a one-tenth part of something, paid as a contribution to a religious organization or compulsory tax to government. Modern tithes are normally voluntary and paid in money, cash, cheques or v ...
'', '' Valiant'', '' Ironside'', and co-author of the '' Spiderwick Chronicles'' * Augusten Burroughs, author of '' Running with Scissors'' * Michelle Chamuel, singer, songwriter, producer * Cassandra Clare, author of '' The Mortal Instruments'' and '' The Infernal Devices'' * Arda Collins, poet and winner of the Yale Series of Younger Poets Competition * Tony DiTerlizzi, author of '' The Spider and the Fly'' and co-author/illustrator for '' Spiderwick Chronicles'' * Peter Elbow, compositionist and professor emeritus at the University of Massachusetts Amherst * Joseph Ellis, historian and author of '' Founding Brothers'' * Martín Espada, poet, professor at the University of Massachusetts and author of the 2006 ''The Republic of Poetry'', among others * Black Francis, singer/guitarist of the
alternative rock Alternative rock (also known as alternative music, alt-rock or simply alternative) is a category of rock music that evolved from the independent music underground of the 1970s. Alternative rock acts achieved mainstream success in the 1990s w ...
band the Pixies, attended UMass Amherst * Rebecca Guay, artist specializing in watercolor painting and illustration * Norton Juster, author of '' The Phantom Tollbooth'' * John Katzenbach, author of '' The Madman's Tale'' * Julius Lester, author and professor at the University of Massachusetts Amherst * Michael Lesy, author of '' Wisconsin Death Trip'', professor at Hampshire College * Cale Makar, professional ice hockey player for the
Colorado Avalanche The Colorado Avalanche (colloquially known as the Avs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver. The Avalanche compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Con ...
and former University of Massachusetts defenseman. * Charles C. Mann (born 1955), journalist and author of '' 1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus'' and '' 1493: Uncovering the New World Columbus Created'' * Catherine Newman, memoirist and novelist * John Olver, politician who served in the
US House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Article One of th ...
* John Elder Robison, author of '' Look Me in the Eye''; older brother of Augusten Burroughs *
Joey Santiago Joseph Alberto Santiago (born June 10, 1965) is a Filipino-American guitarist and composer. Active since 1986, Santiago is best known as the co-founder and lead guitarist of the alternative rock band Pixies. After the band's breakup in 1993, ...
, lead guitarist of the
alternative rock Alternative rock (also known as alternative music, alt-rock or simply alternative) is a category of rock music that evolved from the independent music underground of the 1970s. Alternative rock acts achieved mainstream success in the 1990s w ...
band the Pixies, attended UMass Amherst * Archie Shepp, jazz musician and professor emeritus at the University of Massachusetts Amherst * Chris Smither, folk/blues singer, guitarist, and songwriter * James Tate (born 1943), poet and professor at the University of Massachusetts Amherst * Carl Vigeland, author of ''In Concert'' and many other books *
John Edgar Wideman John Edgar Wideman (born June 14, 1941) is an American novelist, short story writer, memoirist, and essayist. He was the first person to win the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction twice. His writing is known for experimental techniques and a focus o ...
, novelist and writer * Dara Wier, poet and professor in the MFA Program for Poets & Writers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst * Roman Yakub, composer


Sister cities

* Kanegasaki,
Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
* La Paz Centro,
Nicaragua Nicaragua, officially the Republic of Nicaragua, is the geographically largest Sovereign state, country in Central America, comprising . With a population of 7,142,529 as of 2024, it is the third-most populous country in Central America aft ...
* Nyeri,
Kenya Kenya, officially the Republic of Kenya, is a country located in East Africa. With an estimated population of more than 52.4 million as of mid-2024, Kenya is the 27th-most-populous country in the world and the 7th most populous in Africa. ...


See also

* Amherst Regional High School * Amherst-Pelham Regional School District * Tofu Curtain


References


External links


Town of Amherst official website
*
Digital Amherst
an online repository of historic information about Amherst
Town of Amherst Collection
at the Amherst College Archives & Special Collections {{Authority control Academic enclaves Springfield metropolitan area, Massachusetts Towns in Hampshire County, Massachusetts