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Amherst, Massachusetts

A quintessential New England college town, Amherst is home to three institutions — UMass Amherst, Amherst College, and Hampshire College — and was where Emily Dickinson wrote nearly all of her 1,800 poems. The H is silent: "AM-erst."

Founded 1759 | Population 40,000 | Peak 40,000 (2024) | County Hampshire County

Top 10 Most Important Events for Amherst, Massachusetts

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1759Founded: Amherst was founded by colonial settlers in Hampshire County.

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1863UMass: UMass Amherst.

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1890Higher Education: Educational institutions helped define Amherst's character and economy.

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2010Modern Era: Amherst continued to develop as part of the greater metropolitan area, with new infrastructure and community amenities.

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Complete Historical Timeline

1759 Culture

Founded

1863 Culture

UMass

1890 Culture

Higher Education

2010 Culture

Modern Era

Did You Know?

Three colleges.

Emily Dickinson museum.

Silent H — AM-erst.

Amherst is located in Hampshire County, Massachusetts.

Amherst was founded in 1759.

Famous People from Amherst, Massachusetts

Emily Dickinson

Writer, Poet · Born Dec 10, 1830 · Died May 15, 1886 (age 55)

Ebon Moss-Bachrach

Actor, Stage Actor · Born Mar 19, 1977 · Age 48

Helen Hunt Jackson

Writer, Poet · Born Oct 15, 1830 · Died Aug 12, 1885 (age 54)

Julie McNiven

Actor, Television Actor · Born Oct 11, 1980 · Age 45

Margaret Morse Nice

Naturalist, Ornithologist · Born Dec 6, 1883 · Died Jun 26, 1974 (age 90)

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