Amherst
is a town formed in 1818, located directly northeast of the City of Buffalo. The
town is named for Jeffrey Amherst, a British military officer and hero of the
French and Indian War. As
of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 116,510. This represents
an increase from the 1990 census figure of 111,711. The town is the largest and
most populous suburb of Buffalo, New York. The
Town of Amherst, named one of the safest towns in America, encompasses most of
the Village of Williamsville. Much
of Amherst was originally marshland, most of which has been drained in recent
years to facilitate rampant urban sprawl. The central and southern parts of the
town are heavily suburbanized, however the southernmost hamlets (Eggertsville,
Snyder) and the Village of Williamsville have managed to retain some of their
original character. The northern part of the town is still relatively undeveloped
with the prominent exception of the portions along Niagara Falls Boulevard (US
62) bordering the Town of Tonawanda and the City of North Tonawanda. There are
still active farms in the northern part of the town. The
median income for a household in the town was $55,427, and the median income for
a family was $68,951. Males had a median income of $51,667 versus $32,030 for
females. The per capita income for the town was $27,647. Communities
and locations in Amherst: •
Eggertsville is a suburban community in the southwest part of the town,
bordering on The City of Buffalo. Daemen College is located on Main Street (Route
5). The community is named after early postmaster Christian Eggert. •
Getzville - A location near the center of the town by Campbell Boulevard
(Route 270) and Dodge Road. The name comes from early resident Joseph Getz. •
Audubon - A location in the center of the town and location of part of
the town government, as well as the town's only housing project. •
East Amherst (formerly Transit Station) - An unincorporated community,
or hamlet, in the eastern part of the town, shared with the Town of Clarence. •
Grover Cleveland Terrace - A neighborhood in the southwest corner of the
town. •
North Bailey - A location by the junction of Bailey Avenue and Maple Road •
Snyder (originally Snyderville after postmaster Michael Snyder} - A suburban
community located between Eggertsville and the Village of Williamsville. •
Swormville - A hamlet in the eastern part of the town, shared with the
Town of Clarence. Named for Adam Schworm, prominent landowner and businessman. •
West Amherst - A location in the northwestern part of the town bordered
by Niagara Falls Boulevard (US 62) to the west, Sweet Home Road to the east and
Maple Road to the south. Principally the section of the town which comprises the
Sweet Home central school district. •
Williamsville - Most of the Village of Williamsville is within Amherst,
located in the south part of the town. Education: There
are four institutions of higher education located in Amherst. The North Campus
of the University at Buffalo (housing all of the University programs apart from
architecture, planning, and medicine), Daemen College, and one of the three campuses
of Erie Community College is located there. Bryant and Stratton, offers two year
programs. Public
schools: There
are three separate public school districts within the town. The Williamsville
district is the largest and comprises the eastern half of the town along with
portions of the Town of Clarence. The Amherst district is the southwestern portion
of the town with its core in the Eggertsville and Snyder areas. The Sweet Home
district is the northwestern portion of the town along with portions of the Town
of Tonawanda with its core in West Amherst and Getzville. 42.978N.
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