56-676: Amity Street is a main east-west street in Amherst, Massachusetts , United States . It is the continuation of Main Street, being renamed Amity Street west of Pleasant Street, which is the main north-south street in Amherst. Emily Dickinson lived on Main Street , while Eugene Field lived on 219 Amity Street. The street is about one mile (1.6 km) south of the University of Massachusetts Amherst campus and 0.3 miles (0.48 km) west of
112-467: A representative town meeting form in 1938. 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,
168-421: 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
224-699: 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. The Town converted from an open town meeting to
280-534: 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. According to the United States Census Bureau , Amherst has
336-440: 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 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
392-420: 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 for the town was $ 18,905. About 8.7% of families and 34.7% of the population were below the poverty line , 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
448-420: A result, filed under the history of Hadley. Lt. Gen. Edward Whalley and Maj. Gen. William Goffe , two Puritan generals hunted for their role in the execution (or " regicide ") of Charles I of England , were hidden in the home of the town's minister, John Russell. During King Philip's War , an attack by Native Americans was, by some accounts, thwarted with the aid of General Goffe. This event, compounded by
504-595: A three-year term. Amherst also has the following elected bodies: 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. 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 Amherst
560-434: A total area of 27.7 square miles (71.8 km ), of which 27.6 square miles (71.5 km ) are land and 0.12 square miles (0.3 km ), or 0.48%, are water. The town is bordered by Hadley to the west, Sunderland 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
616-625: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Amherst, Massachusetts Amherst ( / ˈ æ m ər s t / ) is a city in Hampshire County, Massachusetts , United States, in the Connecticut River 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
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#1732772988710672-605: Is a town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts , United States. The population was 5,325 at the 2020 census . It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area . The area around the Hampshire and Mountain Farms Malls along Route 9 is a major shopping destination for the surrounding communities. Hadley was first settled in 1659 and was officially incorporated in 1661. The former Norwottuck
728-526: Is available in nearby Northampton on the Vermonter service between Washington, D.C. , and St. Albans, Vermont . More frequent Amtrak service to New York City and Washington, D.C., is available from Union Station in Springfield . The closest major domestic and limited international air service is available through Bradley International Airport (BDL) in Windsor Locks, Connecticut . Bradley
784-511: 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
840-614: 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. 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
896-499: Is land and 1.5 square miles (3.9 km ), or 6.18%, is water. The land boundaries of Hadley are Sunderland to the north, Amherst to the east, and South Hadley to the south. Across the Connecticut River, Hadley borders Hatfield to the northwest, Northampton to the west, and Easthampton and Holyoke along a short length of river to the southwest. The Mount Holyoke Range forms the boundary with South Hadley and
952-533: Is located approximately one hour's driving time from Amherst. Major international service is available through Logan International Airport (BOS) in Boston, 90 miles away. General aviation service is close by, at Northampton Airport , Westover Metropolitan Airport , and Turners Falls Airport . Since 1997, the local newspaper, the Amherst Bulletin , has published a weekly log of phone calls received by
1008-512: Is now Hadley, Hatfield , and Amherst . At the time, Hadley encompassed a wide radius of land on both sides of the Connecticut River (but mostly on the eastern shore) including much of what would become known as the Equivalent Lands . In the following century, these were broken off into precincts and eventually the separate towns of Hatfield, Amherst, South Hadley , Granby and Belchertown . The early histories of these towns are, as
1064-527: 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
1120-559: Is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area . Lying 22 miles (35 km) 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. The name of the town is pronounced without
1176-479: Is where the highest point of Hadley is found. This is on Mount Hitchcock at an elevation of 990 to 1,000 feet (300 to 300 m). The Metacomet-Monadnock Trail traverses the Holyoke Range with panoramic vistas from several locations. In a typical year, Hadley, Massachusetts temperatures fall below 50 °F (10 °C) for 205 days per year. Annual precipitation is typically 44.7 inches per year (high in
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#17327729887101232-424: The 2020 United States Presidential Election , Democrat Joe Biden received 90.3 percent of the vote to incumbent Republican Donald Trump 's 7.4 percent. In the 2000 United States Presidential Election , 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 , who received just 13%. The town
1288-537: The 2020 census , the population was 39,263, making it the highest populated municipality in Hampshire County (although the county seat is Northampton ). The town is home to Amherst College , Hampshire College , and the University of Massachusetts Amherst , three of the Five Colleges . Amherst has three census-designated places : Amherst Center , North Amherst , and South Amherst . Amherst
1344-518: The IRS ). Amherst has a humid continental climate 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 71.7 °F (22.1 °C). Winters are cold and snowy, albeit daytime temperatures often remain above freezing. Under the 2012 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone system, Amherst (ZIP Code 01002)
1400-471: 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,
1456-615: The Second Congressional District of Massachusetts . Voter registration data is from the state election enrollment statistics. 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 in 1960 . In
1512-426: The University of Massachusetts Amherst , Amherst College , and Hampshire College . Data is from the 2009–2013 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Major employers in Amherst include University of Massachusetts Amherst , Amherst College , William D. Mullins Memorial Center , Hampshire College , and Amherst-Pelham Regional School District . Amherst has a town council for its legislative branch and
1568-445: 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. 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
1624-725: 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 , "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." Hadley, Massachusetts Hadley ( / ˈ h æ d l i / , HAD -lee )
1680-683: 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,
1736-467: The US) and snow covers the ground 66 days per year or 18.1% of the year (high in the US). It may be helpful to understand the yearly precipitation by imagining nine straight days of moderate rain per year. The humidity is below 60% for approximately 18.4 days, or 5% of the year. As of the census of 2000, there were 4,793 people, 1,895 households, and 1,248 families residing in the town. The population density
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1792-407: The age of 18 living with them, 53.1% were married couples living together, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.1% were non-families. 24.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.90. The population was spread out, with 20.0% under
1848-460: The age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 27.7% from 25 to 44, 25.7% from 45 to 64, and 19.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.4 males. The median income for a household in the town was $ 51,851, and the median income for a family was $ 61,897. Males had a median income of $ 44,773 versus $ 34,189 for females. The per capita income for
1904-575: The crop from other nearby regions, as well as in restaurants in France and Germany, and Queen Elizabeth II's own annual spring feast in England. Its ubiquity and reputation in Hadley agriculture has lent it the nickname "Hadley grass". Hadley is home to Hadley Elementary School serving children in kindergarten through sixth grade, and Hopkins Academy , serving grades seven through twelve. Hopkins Academy
1960-405: 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" [ sic ]. Amherst was first visited by Europeans no later than 1665, when Nathaniel Dickinson surveyed
2016-799: 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 , and other locations in New England. Megabus provides service between New York City , Amherst, and Burlington, Vermont . Amtrak rail service
2072-488: The historic landscape. Hadley's economy can be in large part characterized by agriculture and retail services, having the thoroughfare Massachusetts Route 9 traversing it east to west with abundant stores, and a wide variety of farms which benefit from the area's Hadley loam. Due to its climate and soils, one of its staple crops for the last two centuries has consistently been its asparagus , which has been described as competing in Boston markets despite local availability of
2128-676: 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 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
2184-400: 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 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
2240-482: The local community in its stewardship. The landscape of Hadley is largely open-field farming , which was only used in the earliest New England settlements and had mostly disappeared by the 18th century; its survival in Hadley on such a large scale is unusual. According to the World Monument Fund 165 acres (0.67 km ) are zoned for residential and commercial use, providing no long-term protection for
2296-413: The plan did not comply with wetlands regulations. The developer of the site (Hampshire Mall) filed and lost numerous appeals but continued its legal challenges of the commission's findings. Many residents also opposed rezoning to accommodate a new Lowe's store because they said it would be too big and would require more filling of wetlands than allowed by state law. However, the rezoning passed in 2004 and
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2352-443: 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 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
2408-508: The reluctance of the townsfolk to betray Goffe's location, developed into the legend of the Angel of Hadley , which came to be included in the historical manuscript History of Hadley by Sylvester Judd . In 1683, eleven years before the Salem witch trials , Mary Webster , wife to William Webster son of the former governor of Connecticut and a founder of the very town of Hadley ( John Webster ),
2464-623: 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 1,100 feet (340 m). 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 and Vermont . 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
2520-664: The store was built in 2009. Lowe's then sued the town because it didn't want to pay the required sewer hookup fees. And, in 2010, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection found that Lowe's had illegally filled large areas of wetlands on that site and fined the developer more than $ 15,000. The World Monuments Fund listed the "Cultural Landscape of Hadley, Massachusetts" on the 2010 World Monuments Watch List of Most Endangered Sites . Watch listing seeks to raise awareness about this rare survivor of 17th-century agriculture, promote visitation, and engage
2576-741: The town common. Route 9 runs about 0.5 miles (0.80 km) south of Amity Street. The street also features a number of grand old Victorian homes and historically significant buildings such as the Jones Library , the Strong House , the Amherst Cinema Building and the Solomon Boltwood House. 42°22′32.9″N 72°31′15.2″W / 42.375806°N 72.520889°W / 42.375806; -72.520889 This Massachusetts road-related article
2632-471: The town to connect Amherst and Northampton , became a hotpoint for commercial development due to Amherst not wanting development on its land while large corporations opened stores along the strip. Today, the Hadley economy is a mixture of agriculture and commercial development, including big-box stores and the Hampshire Mall . In 2003, an organization called Hadley Neighbors for Sensible Development
2688-542: The town: the public University of Massachusetts Amherst (the flagship of the UMass system ), and two private liberal arts colleges— Amherst College and Hampshire College . The Pioneer Valley Transit Authority , funded by local governments and the Five College Consortium , provides public transportation in the area, operated by University of Massachusetts Transportation Services . Service runs well into
2744-470: The use of smallpox -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
2800-437: 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
2856-447: Was 205.7 inhabitants per square mile (79.4/km ). There were 1,953 housing units at an average density of 83.8 per square mile (32.4/km ). The racial makeup of the town was 95.91% White , 0.75% African American , 0.6% Native American , 1.56% Asian , 0.58% from other races , and 1.13% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.67% of the population. There were 1,895 households, out of which 26.6% had children under
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#17327729887102912-420: Was a farmer. Hadley's transformation from an old agricultural order to the new form is the direct result of expansion of the nearby University of Massachusetts Amherst during the 1960s. Much of its former farmland was swallowed in the housing market stimulated by incoming faculty and off-campus students. Route 116 was redirected in an attempt to solve traffic congestion. Route 9 , which runs east–west through
2968-558: Was accused and acquitted of witchcraft. She was unsuccessfully hanged by rowdy town folk. A description is given in Cotton Mather's Magnalia Christi Americana . The Civil War general Joseph Hooker was a longtime resident of Hadley. Levi Stockbridge , one of the founders of the Massachusetts Agricultural College (now the University of Massachusetts Amherst ), was also from Hadley where he
3024-546: Was formed that opposed continued large-scale commercial development in Hadley by emphasizing the downside of such growth. However, many local residents support commercial development, and about 1,000 people signed a petition asking for a new Wal-Mart, saying it would save them money on their groceries. In 2008, Wal-Mart pulled its plans to build the Supercenter after the Conservation Commission ruled that
3080-579: Was founded in 1664 through money that was donated by Edward Hopkins , a wealthy Connecticut merchant, and it is the fourth oldest public high school in the United States . Hadley is also home to the Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School . According to the United States Census Bureau , the town has a total area of 24.6 square miles (63.7 km ), of which 23.1 square miles (59.8 km )
3136-470: Was renamed for Hadleigh, Suffolk . Its settlers were primarily a discontented group of families from the Puritan colonies of Hartford and Wethersfield , Connecticut , who petitioned to start a new colony up north after some controversy over doctrine in the local church. The settlement was led by John Russell . The first settler inside of Hadley was Nathaniel Dickinson , who surveyed the streets of what
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