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Amherst, often called the “Williamsburg of Southern New Hampshire”, with its beautiful village green, lovely historic homes and stately shade trees, looks exactly like the peaceful colonial village that it is. Uncrowded, not overdeveloped, and true to its heritage of historic preservation and diligent planning, this wonderfully attractive community has handled twenty years of accelerated growth and uncommon intelligence and grace.
Amherst has great substance, too. Strict zoning, excellent schools, fine town services, superior recreational facilities, great open space, much conservation land, and an active and friendly populace add to the pleasure of living here. The nearby cities of Nashua and Manchester provide additional benefits for shopping and business-but even if Amherst were an island standing by itself in a vast, lonely ocean, it would be special.
The town's first settlers began to arrive in 1735 with Amherst being incorporated in 1760. Amherst was named for General Sir Jeffrey Amherst, the Commander-in-Chief of the British armies in North America. Amherst was once an important New Hampshire hub until it was bypassed by the railroads in the 19th century.
Much of the town's historic charm has been carefully preserved, sometimes referred to as the "Williamsburg of Southern New Hampshire."
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The centerpiece of Amherst is the beautiful village green that is host to many community events and activities and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Amherst's meticulous preservation of its history, coupled with planned growth, has yielded a community that is uncrowded and pleasant. The town's close proximity to routes 101 and 101-A offers residents a wide and varied selection of shopping locations and restaurants to enjoy.
Incorporated: 1760
Origin: First granted in 1728 as Narragansett Number 3, the town was named after Lord Jeffrey Amherst, commander-in-chief of the colonials in the French and Indian War. Amherst was the birthplace of Horace Greeley, founder of the New York Tribune. The town is home to Baboosic Lake.
Population, Year of the First Census Taken: 2,369 residents in 1790
Population Trends: Population growth in Amherst was very fast— the town ranked 15th in total percent increase and 17th in total numeric increase between 1950 and 2000. Decennial growth rates ranged from ten percent between 1980-1990 to 125 percent between 1960-1970. Amherst's population increased from 1,461 residents in 1950 to 10,769 in 2000, a total increase of 9,308 residents. The Census 2003 estimate for Amherst was 11,413 residents, which ranked 26th among New Hampshire's incorporated cities and towns.
Population Density, 2003: 324.9 persons per square mile of land area. Amherst contains 33.9 square miles of land area and 0.5 square miles of inland water area.
