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Amherst is located in Erie County
Population: 111,711 Amherst, New York is situated at the western end of the state, in the County of Erie and is comprised of 53.3 square miles. There exists within its boundaries the incorporated Village of Williamsville as well as several unincorporated hamlets or neighborhoods.
Prior to 1788, lands in western, central and eastern New York were claimed by Massachusetts by a pre-Revolution charter. After the Revolutionary War, the Federal Government decreed that the territory become part of New York State. While it is probable that the name Amherst was derived from Amherst, Massachusetts, it is indirectly named for Sir Jeffrey Amherst, Commander-in-Chief of the British forces in America in 1759 and 1760. King George III, in 1768, granted twenty thousand acres in the Province of Massachusetts to Lord Amherst.
Amherst was originally part of the town of Clarence, now the neighboring community on the eastern boundary. A town meeting, held April 1808 requested the New York State Legislature to form the town of Amherst. In 1810 the Town of Amherst was created but it was not "erected" until April 10, 1818. The first Town Board meeting was held at the Tavern House of Frederick Miller on April 6, 1819. At this time Amherst was in the County of Niagara and portions of neighboring towns of Cheektowaga and West Senenca were included in its boundaries. Amherst became part of Erie County in 1821. The Erie Canal, making part of Amherst's northern boundary, was opened in 1825.
The school system began in 1812 when Caleb Rogers built the first school house at Main Street and Garrison Road. Three school districts evolved from the early school districts: Amherst Central in 1930, Williamsville Central in 1948 and Sweet Home Central in 1950.
The oldest Lutheran church in Erie County was incorporated in Amherst, St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church in 1827. Saints Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Church was founded by Rev. John Nepomucene Neumann in 1836 (now Saint John Neumann).
In 1850, the population of Amherst was over 3,100 and the Village of Williamsville, one square mile in size within the boundaries of Amherst, was incorporated. Amherst comprised other hamlets, none which were incorporated. The industry of the time was grist mills, saw mills, quarries and other industries that provided the necessities of the growing, thriving community.
The government structure of the Town of Amherst was influenced both by the growth of the town and the changes in New York state law. Early town government was a creation of the State Legislature and was intended primarily to serve state administrative needs. Towns were gradually given extended powers where today they have the right to enact local laws and to make certain changes in their administrative structure. Early records, still accessible at the Town Clerk's office, indicate that the Amherst Town Board met annually, usually in March or April to conduct town business. In 1890 a law was passed requiring two regular meetings in addition to the annual meeting. Meetings were held in the homes of town officials or in local taverns until 1908. The population of the town continued to grow and the southern section of town bordering the city of Buffalo began to change from rural to suburban residential. The town government responded by increasing the number of Town Board meetings and establishing new town offices such as a Health Board, a part-time attorney and engineer. A combined town and village hall was built in 1908 providing an established meeting place. This building was replaced in 1964 with the current town hall and the village moved to their own municipal building. The town gave over responsibility for the poor to the County and school administration was taken over by school districts. In 1976 the Town Board passed the Amherst Government Organization Law which altered the structure of town's government by transferring executive and administrative functions from the Town Board to the Supervisor. In addition, the law identified and defined specific branches of local government, including the executive, legislative, judicial and special agencies branches, and provided for the organization of several central management departments within the structure of the executive branch.
Economic growth has been a major factor in the development of Amherst. Over the last twenty years, Amherst has emerged from a suburban bedroom community to a leader in retail, manufacturing and research development. Stimulated by the construction of the State University of New York at Buffalo, Amherst's economy has blossomed through the construction of two industrial and one office park. Plans are underway for the construction of yet a third industrial park that will be located conveniently along the I-990.
