Historic Amherst, New Hampshire

> Search current Amherst NH real estate listings

Amherst NH is a quiet and scenic community of approximately 12,000 people.  Amherst is located in Southern NH, an easy commute to the Boston area. Amherst, New Hampshire is located in Hillsborough County, about 10 miles west of downtown Nashua, NH.

Amherst is known for its community spirit, the Fourth of July Parade and band concerts on the Village Green,  the "single lighted candle aglow in every window" around the holiday season; the annual lighting of the tree on the Village Green and  the September Amherst Antique Show & Sale on the Common are all part of what makes Amherst so very special.

Amherst is also known for its desirable Souhegan School District.  Amherst is a quiet country town with nearby shopping, theatre, symphony, parks and recreational areas, skiing, lakes and sports arenas making Amherst a wonderful place to live and invest in property in Southern New Hampshire. 

The Amherst Village Green is located in the heart of the historic district, abundant with antique properties centuries old within walking distance to the Amherst Town Library, the Amherst Town Hall, the Wigwam Museum and Moulton’s Market. Residents are proud of their village center, which is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and is protected by a local historic district ordinance.

Horace "Go West, young man" Greeley, founder of the New York Tribune and Republican and candidate for president in 1872, was born in Amherst in 1811. His house still stands on Horace Greeley Road

New Hampshire’s affordable tax rate is one of the highest benefits of living in New Hampshire.  Residents are not subject to a sales tax or an income tax, making the area one of the most desirable towns in the US to live.

Amherst’s commitment to historic preservation is evident in their diligent planning as this attractive community has handled the accelerated growth of the area with intelligence and style. Strict zoning, excellent schools, fine town services, recreational facilities, and conservation land and open space add to the pleasure of life in Amherst.  In Amherst, you have access to all the amenitites of modern day living, but once you enter the town, you feel like you have entered into the country.

Amherst is just minutes from Nashua and the many shopping outlets, major stores and malls, the Milford Oval and the famous “pumpkin festival”, the Manchester Airport and the many farms located in Hollis.

Lots of the great old outdoors and recreational facilities abound in  Amherst. There are ballfields, 4 golf courses, tennis courts, and an outdoor skating rink in Amherst Village. . Residents enjoy Baboosic Lake where you can swim and sun at the Town Beach. There are hiking and cross-country ski trails at Joe English Reservation, as well as at Harding and Plumb Memorial Forests. Joe English Reservation is a 370-acre heavily wooded tract in the northwest corner of Amherst, offering blazed trails, streams, a beaver pond, "lookout rock," an old cellar hole, and extensive mountain laurel.

Average climate in Amherst, New Hampshire

Based on data reported by over 4,000 weather stations

Amherst, New Hampshire Schools

Clark School and Wilkins School

Students in kindergarten, readiness and first grade attend Clark School; students in second through fourth grade attend Wilkins Elementary School. Together these schools were recognized as Regional Schools of Excellence in 1996 and as National Schools of Excellence in 1997. Emphasis at these grade levels is in reading and writing skills, culminating in the annual Writing Festival. A children’s author is invited each year to speak to the students, and students write their own books which are "published" and display during annual Writing Festival. The Extended Education Program at Wilkins provides enrichment opportunities for all students, including a school newspaper, school store, participation in the Manchester Union Leader "Stock Market Contest" , National Geographic Geography Bee, Junior Achievement, and special activities in math and science. Both schools participate in NH Inventors, Odyssey of the Mind, and Junior Great Books. Parent volunteers are very active in both schools, and the PTA provides enrichment activities and supplies through their fundraising efforts. Character and citizenship are important themes at both schools and are reinforced through the Guidance program and special activities during the year.

Mont Vernon Village School

Children who live in Mont Vernon attend grades 1 through 6 at the Mont Vernon Village School. Students in 7th and 8th grade attend Amherst Middle School under a tuition agreement with the Amherst School District. The Towns of Mont Vernon and Amherst comprise the Souhegan Cooperative High School District. Mont Vernon high school students attend Souhegan High School in Amherst.

The Village School is a special place, given its small size and lovely location. The focus is educational excellence achieved by meeting the needs of all its students. The transition from Mont Vernon to Amherst is a smooth and effective one. The Mont Vernon Village School offers many enrichment activities as well as some unique offerings. One of the special programs Mont Vernon offers is the Student Docent program with the Mont Vernon Historical Society. Through this program, students work at the museum, one of the several ways the school provides a connection with the community. Each year Mont Vernon students and teachers visit the Mont Vernon Inn to share experiences with the Inn’s elderly residents. A SRA (Student Recognition Assembly) is held each month, and the community is invited to attend.

School-wide enrichment opportunities include: Math Mania, New England Math League contest, annual Literature/Writing Festival, Science Fair/Invention Convention, Oration Celebration, participation in the National Spelling Bee, the National Geographic Geography Bee, Basic Aid Training for fifth graders, and a week of outdoor science experiences at the Environmental School in Bridgton, ME for all sixth graders.

The Mont Vernon Village School has an active PTA and parent volunteer program.

Amherst Middle School

Students from Amherst in grades 5-8, and students from Mont Vernon in grades 7-8, attend the Amherst Middle School. In 1996, Amherst Middle School was recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School. This was the third year the school has been so recognized (previously in 1986-87 and 1990-91), and AMS is one of only a few schools nationally to win this award three times.

Students are introduced to French and Spanish in the 5th and 6th grades, preparing them to make a choice when foreign language is added to the curriculum in 7th grade. Band and chorus is open to all students in grades 5-8, and interscholastic field hockey, baseball, and softball are offered in 7th and 8th grade. The academic curriculum is strong, offering students opportunities for accelerated learning. Enrichment is provided through off-campus experiences at Environmental Camp (6th and 8th grades) and the Mt. Washington Observatory Weather Camp (7th grade). Art, music, physical education, home economics, and shop complement the core curriculum. Adolescent issues are addressed throughout the year through the health curriculum and programs such as D.A.R.E., the Peer Mediation Program, and Operation Safeguard. Recognizing the wide-ranging changes students encounter during these years, every effort is made to have programs in place to address educational, social and emotional needs. Amherst Middle School is a nurturing environment where students can grow physically, emotionally, and academically.

Souhegan High School

Souhegan High School opened in September of 1992, a new school created with a vision for the future and literally built from the ground up, both physically and philosophically. Its programs and mission are crafted around the principles of the Coalition of Essential Schools, and are reflected in the Mission Statement:

Souhegan High School aspires to be a community of learners born of respect, trust and courage. We consciously commit ourselves:

Teachers of math, science, English and social studies teach as teams to create an interdisciplinary unit. Art, music, drama, computer information skills, and technology are part of the core curriculum, as appropriate, and are available as elective courses as well. Foreign language is also an elective, with classes in French, Spanish, and Latin.

A requirement of graduation is 40 hours of community service during four years of high school. To help students fulfill this requirement, staff members assist students in finding activities with which they are comfortable. Seniors are required to do a Senior Project, which is an in-depth research project and oral presentation on a subject of the student’s choice. Students work with a mentor in designing the project, completing the research, and presenting the final work. Senior Project is a comprehensive demonstration of skills they have acquired throughout twelve years of school. Advanced placement and college credit courses are offered for students who distinguish themselves in the regular curriculum and are willing to take on the challenge. We believe every individual brings something to the learning process, and students at Souhegan are heterogeneously grouped. Classes typically include students at all academic levels as well as severely challenged students.

We set high standards for staff and students. More importantly, we provide the support, encouragement and skills to achieve those standards, creating in our students confidence that they can be successful. This is the essence of the Souhegan High School mission.

Amherst New Hampshire is a wonderful place to buy a home, land, new home construction, condos and all types of Amherst real estate…. the  best Southern New Hampshire properties await you here in the Souhegan Valley.

	Questions? Ask us!
Call our consultants at Brin Realty Group for advice on purchasing your next home in the Amherst NH area today, we are the local experts in real estate for sale in Southern NH!