Amherst, Virginia
Amherst is a town of 1,865 people in Amherst County, Virginia, founded in 1807.
Why visit Amherst
Townapedia lists 7 museums and landmarks, 10 places to eat and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include Strode Mountain, Dulwich Manor and Edgewood, 1818.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 87°F; January lows average 26°F.
Weather in Amherst
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Amherst
Amherst (formerly Dearborn) is a town in Amherst County, Virginia, United States. As of the 2020 census, Amherst had a population of 2,110. It is the county seat of Amherst County.
From the Wikipedia article Amherst, Virginia (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Museums and landmarks7
Dulwich Manor
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.8 mi
Historic house in Virginia, United States
Edgewood, 1818
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Building in Virginia, United States
Kenmore Farm
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.2 mi
US historic farm and educational property in Virginia
Sweet Briar College
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.5 mi
Liberal arts college, Sweet Briar, Virginia, US
Sweet Briar House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.4 mi
Historic house in Virginia, United States
The Glebe
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.8 mi
Building in Virginia, United States
Restaurants and cafes10
Vito's Pizza Bar & Grill
Restaurant · Italian
188 Richmond Highway, Amherst
Mo-Th 11:00-22:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-23:00; Su 12:00-22:00
Hangout on Main
Cafe
194 South Main Street, Amherst
Mo-We 07:00-18:00; Th-Fr 07:00-21:00; Sa 09:00-14:00; Su off
Bonfire Burgers & Bourbon
Diner · American
188 South Main Street, Amherst
Mo,Tu,Su off; We-Sa 11:00-22:00
Dogwood Cafe
Cafe
200 Richmond Highway, Amherst
Mo,We,Th 11:00-19:00; Tu off; Fr,Sa 11:00-20:00; Su 11:00-15:00
Domino's
Fast food · Pizza · 1.3 mi
196 Ambriar Plaza, Amherst
Mo-Th,Su 10:00-24:00, Fr,Sa 10:00-25:00
McDonald's
Fast food · Burger · 0.4 mi
135 Richmond Highway, Amherst
Mo-Th 05:30-23:00; Fr 05:30-24:00; Sa 06:00-24:00; Su 06:00-23:00
Subway
Fast food · Sandwich
200 Richmond Highway, Amherst
Mo 00:00-24:00; Tu-Sa 08:00-22:00; Su 09:00-22:00
Churches and places of worship2
History
Amherst was founded in 1807. Originally known as "The Oaks" and "Seven Oaks", it began as a stagecoach station on the Charlottesville to Lynchburg road. Once Nelson County was separated from Amherst County in 1807, the community became the seat of Amherst County. It was at this time that the village decided to rename itself in honor of French and Indian War hero Jeffery Amherst, 1st Baron Amherst. Major-General Amherst had been the hero of the Battle of Ticonderoga and later served as the governor of the Colony of Virginia from 1763 to 1768.
In 1847, local planter William Waller, aged 58, walked from Amherst to Louisiana with about 20 slaves for sale. His letters home during the trip, held by the Virginia Historical Society, provide rare documentation of a slave coffle.
On April 15, 1910, Amherst was incorporated by the order of the Circuit Court. A charter was granted to the town by the General Assembly in 1950.
From the History section of Amherst, Virginia on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Shopping4
Gas and EV charging1
Schools, colleges and libraries9
Healthcare3
Map of Amherst
37 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 48°F | 26°F | 3.5 in |
| Feb | 52°F | 28°F | 2.7 in |
| Mar | 60°F | 34°F | 3.7 in |
| Apr | 70°F | 43°F | 3.6 in |
| May | 76°F | 52°F | 4.6 in |
| Jun | 84°F | 61°F | 4.5 in |
| Jul | 87°F | 66°F | 3.7 in |
| Aug | 86°F | 64°F | 4.4 in |
| Sep | 80°F | 57°F | 4.4 in |
| Oct | 71°F | 45°F | 3.8 in |
| Nov | 61°F | 35°F | 3.6 in |
| Dec | 51°F | 29°F | 4.0 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Tye Rvr 1 Se (8 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Amherst County has had 10 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for hurricanes.
- 2026-01-23: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2020-04-02: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2018-09-11: Hurricane Florence (Hurricane)
- 2012-10-29: Hurricane Sandy (Hurricane)
- 2012-07-27: Severe Storms And Straight-Line Winds (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Lynchburg Regional Airport (LYH) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 20 miles away.
- Madison Heights 10 mi south, about 15 min by car
- Lynchburg 15 mi southwest, about 24 min by car
- Forest 19 mi southwest, about 30 min by car
- Timberlake 21 mi southwest, about 34 min by car
- Stuarts Draft 30 mi north, about 49 min by car
- Waynesboro 35 mi north, about 56 min by car
- Staunton 40 mi north, about 1 h by car
- Charlottesville 44 mi northeast, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Lake Monticello 46 mi northeast, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Roanoke 54 mi southwest, about 1 h 30 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Amherst VA Historical Society in Fall, Andrew Bain, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Kenmore Farmhouse, Nyttend, Public domain
- The Glebe south of Clifford, Nyttend, Public domain
- Bistro at Sweet Briar - panoramio, Annette Teng, CC BY 3.0
- Dulwich Manor entrance, Nyttend, Public domain
- SWEET BRIAR HOUSE, JERRYE & ROY KLOTZ MD, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Edgewood 1818 Dec 08, Pubdog ( talk ), Public domain
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.