150+ Years of History
UMass Amherst and its host communities of Amherst and Hadley have shared a long rich history over the past 150-plus years. Besides its positive impact on the local economy, UMass Amherst adds to the cultural richness, intellectual depth, and ethnic diversity of the Amherst Area and the region.
Numerous town-gown collaborations benefit our host communities and campus. These partnerships provide unique educational opportunities, support community and civic organizations, and enhance the region's quality of life. They are built on a shared desire to make UMass Amherst and its surrounding town great places to live, work, play, and learn.
About Amherst
The proud birthplace of poet Emily Dickinson, Amherst, Massachusetts is a college town with three institutions of higher learning: Amherst College, Hampshire College, and the University of Massachusetts. With approximately 40,000 residents, Amherst is the largest community in Hampshire County. Amherst has a pleasant downtown supplemented by four village centers and dozens of cultural attractions, including eight museums, an independent art house cinema, and venues for performing arts and music. The town has permanently conserved nearly a third of its land and is home to over fifty working farms. It is an ethnically diverse community with strong schools, an excellent bus system, and easy access to major cities.
In Amherst, spotting a resident rock star, famous writer, or Nobel laureate lounging in a downtown cafe is a fairly regular occurrence. The university and the colleges combine to create a vibrant and dynamic intellectual atmosphere and attract world class faculty. Amherst is often cited as both a top American college town and a great place to retire.
About Hadley
For over 350 years, Hadley has been known for the richness of its soils and the quality of its crops, which earned it the title, "The Asparagus Capital of the World." Hadley was also known for its fine tobacco, hung in scores of slatted barns across its many farms, which was for many years the preferred wrapper for high-quality Caribbean cigars.
Bordering the Connecticut River, and home to UMass Rowing, Hadley has a burgeoning tourism market, attracted to the area's farms and its scenic byways.
Hadley is home to around 5,300 residents. It's a regional hub for commerce, attracting many nationally-known retailers to compliment an ethnically diverse and locally-owned, small business mix that has expanded over the years to meet the growth of UMass Amherst. Combining busy commerce with a rooted, agricultural core, Hadley is home to hundreds of UMass Amherst employees.
About the Pioneer Valley
The Pioneer Valley, which includes the three counties of Hampden, Hampshire, and Franklin, is a diverse patchwork of urban centers, unspoiled forest, farmland, and great natural beauty. It connects the college towns of Amherst, Northampton, and South Hadley with the emerging arts communities of Greenfield, Turners Falls, and Easthampton and the resurgent cities of Holyoke and Springfield. That makes the Valley a region of great potential where UMass Amherst plays a vital role.
The University's influence, economic impact, and imprint go well beyond its host communities. Our staff, faculty, and students live all throughout the Pioneer Valley. Many serve their cities and towns with distinction and give time to community groups and non-profit boards. The University is active in the economic development of the cities of Holyoke and Springfield, and also has deep relationships with the school districts of our region's Gateway cities.
Hampden County, anchored by Springfield, the state's third largest city, is home to major corporations and is a hub for health-care and innovation. The UMass system has invested in the Springfield Center, home to courses from all five system branches. In Holyoke, UMass is a partner in the Green High-Speed Computing Center.
Hampshire County's economic base is driven by tourism, arts, agriculture, and education. Franklin County, with just over 70,800 residents, is the most rural county in Massachusetts, and yet over 15% of its economic activity is based on manufacturing.