Amherst is a New England town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States in the Connecticut River valley. As of the 2000 census, the population was 34,874. The town is home to Amherst College, Hampshire College, and the University of Massachusetts Amherst, three of the Five Colleges (Massachusetts). The name of the town is correctly pronounced without the h ('AM-erst'), unlike some other towns of the same name.

The communities of Amherst Center, Massachusetts, North Amherst, Massachusetts, and South Amherst, Massachusetts are census-designated places.

Amherst is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Springfield, Massachusetts...

Amherst is a New England town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States in the Connecticut River valley. As of the 2000 census, the population was 34,874. The town is home to Amherst College, Hampshire College, and the University of Massachusetts Amherst, three of the Five Colleges (Massachusetts). The name of the town is correctly pronounced without the h ('AM-erst'), unlike some other towns of the same name.

The communities of Amherst Center, Massachusetts, North Amherst, Massachusetts, and South Amherst, Massachusetts are census-designated places.

Amherst is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Springfield, Massachusetts metropolitan area.

History
The earliest known document of the lands now comprising Amherst is the deed of purchase dated December 1658 between John Pynchon of Springfield, Massachusetts 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'[sic]. Amherst will celebrate its 250th anniversary in 2009. The Amherst 250th Anniversary Celebration Committee has been established to oversee the creation and implementation of Town-wide activities throughout 2009.

When the first permanent English settlements arrived in 1727, this land and the surrounding area (including present-day South Hadley and Granby) belonged to the town of Hadley, Massachusetts. It gained precinct status in 1734 and eventually township in 1759.