Historical Commission

The Commission maintains and updates an inventory of historic properties and sites in Amherst, available for review in the Planning Department office and at Special Collections at the Jones Library. The Commission develops nominations for the listing of historic districts and individual properties on the National Register of Historic Places. 

The Commission undertakes a wide variety of historic preservation projects, including the preservation and restoration of Amherst’s historic public cemeteries, Amherst's three historic commons and several historic parks, public buildings, and sites. The Commission works with other Town boards/committees and community historic preservation groups, interested citizens, and Town staff on such projects. 

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AMHERST WRITERS WALK

The Amherst Writers Walk is a self-directed walking tour to the locations of houses in Amherst where once famous authors lived and worked. This is a lovely way to explore the Town by strolling along historic streets to find the signs marking these residences and explaining the significant contributions of the writers who lived there. The list of authors and a map can be found on the reverse side of this brochure. Originating in a course at the University of Massachusetts on Public History, realized by the Amherst Historical Commission, funded by Community Preservation Act funds, and installed by the Department of Public Works in 2021, this tour supplements the historic public buildings in Town, such as the Jones Library, Town Hall, churches, and Amherst College buildings. Learn more here: www.amherstma.gov/writerswalk

resources

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD (3.85 MB) THE 1894 REVISED EDITION OF THE HANDBOOK OF AMHERST, MASSACHUSETTS, PREPARED AND PUBLISHED BY FREDERICK H. HITCHCOCK