Amherst, NY

Amherst, New York

Introduction to Amherst, New York

The town of Amherst is located in Erie County in the northwestern corner of New York State. It is a suburb of the city of Buffalo, which is situated about 10 miles to its southwest. Amherst is bisected by New York State Highway 5, which runs through the town. It is surrounded by several other highways, including Interstates I-90 and I-290; U.S. Route 62; and State Highways 33, 78, 240, and 277.

The first component of the town of Amherst was the village of Williamsville, which had its beginnings around the turn of the 18th century. Williamsville, which derived its name from one of its first settlers, Jonas Williams, was the area's first settlement because of its location on the main road to Buffalo and also because of its proximity to Ellicott Creek. The Creek was of great importance to early settlers because its waterfalls were utilized to power mills for sawing corn into cornmeal, wood into lumber, and wheat into flour. In 1818, the town of Amherst was officially created and was named for Sir Jeffrey Amherst, an English lord who was a former Commander-in-Chief of the British troops in America. The new town was made up of the village of Williamsville along with several small hamlets (including Snyderville, Eggertsville, Getzville, and Swormsville). The opening of the Erie Canal in 1825 spurred more settlement and ushered in a period of growth for Amherst, which by mid-19th century had become a prosperous farming community. By the 1920s, farmland had already begun to be sold to make way for subdivisions and housing development. Today there are only a few farms left in Amherst, most of them in the northern section of the town near Tonawanda Creek. Rapid population growth in recent decades due to the town's proximity to Buffalo has resulted in more houses, highways, schools, shopping centers, and recreational facilities.

Attractions In and Around Amherst

The crown jewel of Amherst from a cultural and historic point of view is its museum. The Amherst Museum is dedicated to preserving and communicating the history of the town with exhibits depicting 19th-century life on the Niagara Frontier. Included are historic homes, churches, one-room schoolhouses and exhibits on local history, textiles, and the Erie Canal. In the category of performance arts, the town takes pride in the Amherst Symphony Orchestra. Dance aficionados can learn the history, etiquette, costuming and steps of a very specialized type of dancing from the Victorian Dance Society, which offers lessons in dances popular during the years 1837-1901, including the Spanish Dance, Waltz, Quadrille, Virginia Reel, and many others.

The town's proximity to the city of Buffalo affords visitors the opportunity to take in the attractions of that city as well. Some of the more notable places of interest in Buffalo include the following:

• Albright-Knox Art Gallery: A world-class gallery featuring thousands of exhibits housed in a Greek Revival building with 18 dramatic marble columns on its facade.
• Graycliff: A 1927 home designed by Frank Lloyd Wright for his most generous patron, industrialist Darwin D. Martin, is set on a 70-foot cliff overlooking Lake Erie.
• Buffalo Museum of Science: Features over a dozen interactive galleries.
• Buffalo Zoological Gardens
• Buffalo Transportation/Pierce-Arrow Museum
• Buffalo & Erie County Naval and Military Park
• Buffalo & Erie County Botanical Gardens
• Buffalo Zoological Gardens
• Buffalo Lighthouse

Buffalo is also an active sports town, boasting three major-league professional franchises. The Buffalo Bills are a longtime staple of the National Football League (NFL) and the Buffalo Sabres are a mainstay of the National Hockey League (NHL). Also in town are the Buffalo Bandits, a member of the National Lacrosse League (NLL). The city also has a professional minor league baseball team; the Buffalo Bisons. The Bisons, who play in the International League, are the Class-AAA affiliate of Major League Baseball's Cleveland Indians.

High Points

Amherst strengths, compared to Peers (similar size places nationally) or State (other places in New York):

Category	Trophy
Low Property Crime (vs. Peers)	Top 8%
Low Violent Crime (vs. Peers)	Top 9%
College Educated Adults (vs. Peers)	Top 12%
Well-Paid Single Women (vs. Peers)	Top 16%
Well-Paid Single Men (vs. Peers)	Top 19%

Comparative Profile of Amherst, NY

Comparing Amherst to similar size places nationwide (Peers) and to other places in New York (State):

Ratings range from (lowest) to (highest).

The People

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Senior Citizens
Age of the Population
Female Share of the Population
Well-Paid Single Women
Well-Paid Single Men
Racial Diversity
Male Share of the Population
Children Under 5 Years Old

Families

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Portion of People Married
Average Household Size

Wealth

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
College Educated Adults
People in Middle Class or Better
Median Family Income
People Above Poverty

Commute & Sprawl

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Working at Home
Short Commute Times
Walking and Biking to Work
Public Transportation Use

Housing

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Seasonal and Vacation Housing
People Living Alone
Affordability of Rents
Housing Recently Built
Studio & One-Bedroom Rentals
Affordability of Property Taxes

Crime

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Low Property Crime
Low Violent Crime

Amherst Almanac

Amherst Climate

Nearest Weather Stations

• Temp ranges are avg daily min and max for the month
• Precipitation is rainfall (and rainfall equiv of snowfall)

Amherst Public Libraries

More Information for Librarians

Amherst Population (2000)

(From 2000 Census, as reported by individuals)

Political Contributions (2004)

Money donated by Amherst residents to parties and candidates for the 2004 elections.

by Political Party

by Presidential Candidate

Neighborhood and Nearby Area Names

According to the US Postal Service, Amherst, its neighborhoods, and/or surrounding areas are also referred to as:

Note that not all alternate names are acceptable for use in US Post Office addresses.

Nearby Cities and Towns

Starbucks in Amherst

Amherst High Schools (2004)

SWEET HOME SHS
1901 SWEET HOME RD
716-250-1203
Serves 1,246 students.

WILLIAMSVILLE EAST HS
151 PARADISE RD
716-626-8400
Serves 1,018 students.

AMHERST CENTRAL HS
4301 MAIN ST
716-362-8100
Serves 1,004 students.

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