Amherst, Ohio, United States

🇺🇸 Amherst is a city in Lorain County, Ohio, United States. It is located 28 miles (45 km) west of Cleveland.

The original village, which eventually became known as Amherst, was established/founded by pioneer settler Jacob Shupe (who came to this area in 1811; however, what would become the specific “downtown” area was settled by Josiah Harris in 1818), although the original tiny village was first known only as "Amherst Corners" in the early-1830s. When the village-plat was officially recorded in 1836, it was simply named the "town plat of Amherst", but became "Amherstville" circa-1839, and was later changed to "North Amherst", until finally again simply 'Amherst' in 1909. (The original 1820s postal-name of the village's first post-office was "Plato"; and the village's post-office retained that postal-name into the 1840s, even after the local-government name of the village officially became 'Amherstville' by 1840.)

The village is often said to have had its beginnings as early as 1811, because land which was settled by pioneer Jacob Shupe, in the "Beaver Creek Settlement" (about a mile north of the later village site), was eventually included into the Amherst city-limits. Shupe's pioneering efforts within the township, which included constructing his own grist-mill/saw-mill and distillery, certainly added to the area's desirability for later pioneers to settle here). By the latter 1800s, Amherst acquired the title Sandstone Center of the World.[A] Many early buildings are constructed of native sandstone, and the quarries were also an important source of grindstones. There were nine sandstone quarries in the area operating at the peak of production. Cleveland Quarries Company, established in 1868, no longer quarries in Amherst but is still actively quarrying Berea Sandstone.

Transportation By far the most common mode of transportation to, from or within Amherst is by car. However the downtown area is walkable. State Route 2 runs west to east through the northern portion of Amherst providing access to downtown Cleveland (38 minutes), its suburbs and Sandusky, Ohio. There are two exit/entrance ramps in the city (Oak Point Road and State Route 58). The Ohio Turnpike also runs west to east along the City's southern border and there is one (exit/entrance) ramp just south of the city in Amherst Township at State Route 58. Parts of the city are also served by the Lorain County Transit system. Cleveland Hopkins (CLE) is the nearest International airport; it is located approximately 35 minutes east of the city.

Business Amherst is home to a Nordson factory that manufactures various products, as well as KTM-Sportmotorcycle America's Corporate office. In the city's scenic downtown section, Ben Franklin's dime store sells many types of fish and aquarium accessories, model cars, puzzles, and the like. Amherst is also home to Ziggy's, a bar and grill that President Obama visited in 2012.

Growth A recent housing boom has created demand for new retail areas in Amherst. Target has recently opened inside the city limits.