Historic Buildings

Amherst streets and campuses feature many historic buildings representing all shapes, sizes and styles. The following links provide more information about these notable buildings in town.

Amherst Historical:  A project done by UMass Public History students. Has information about several houses and historic structures in town and walking tours focused on writer’s houses or Amherst locations related to the Civil War.

Historic Buildings of Massachusetts: A blog with brief descriptions of several historic buildings in Amherst, including many from Amherst College.

Amherst Historical Commission: “Created in October 1972 by Amherst Town Meeting, the Historical Commission maintains 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.”

Historic Homes of Amherst:  This short book was written by Alice M. Walker in 1905 and published by the Amherst Historical Society. It presents vignettes of historical interest including “Old Strong House,” “The Bridgeman Tavern on the Bay Road,” “Early Amherst Doctors,” “Mark’s Meadow,” The Old Hubbard Tavern at the Plumtree,” and “President Hitchcock’s House.” It is best read as a view of what was considered historically important in Amherst circa 1905. We would like to think that we know more now and, in fact, some dates (such as 1744 for the Strong House) haven’t stood the test of time but there is also valuable information to be acquired. Enjoy!

Post Cards and Photos of Amherst: A collection of digitized post cards and photographs compiled by Pat Mount.

Massachusetts Cultural Resource Information System: “The Massachusetts Cultural Resource Information System (MACRIS) allows you to search the Massachusetts Historical Commission database for information on historic properties and areas in the Commonwealth.”