About Us
The Mill District Past, Present & Future
Food. Fashion. Fun
The Mill District is a fast-growing experiential mixed-use town center. Just one mile North of UMass-Amherst, we have diverse retailers, services, restaurants, and places to enjoy the outdoors.
We are home to a variety of shops, offering everything from boutique women’s fashions, creative gifts, local art, great wine, pizza, Asian and Latin foods, hardware, laundry services, and laser skin treatment.
The Mill District is also the location of some of Amherst’s finest residences.
We host regular events that bring friends, families, and neighbors together. From fashion shows, special events, to holiday celebrations, and art workshops, you’ll find it all here.
Surrounded by miles of trails, courts, fields, a golf course, three playgrounds, rivers and ponds, The Mill District is destination shopping at the edge of the great outdoors.
Endless Possibilities
Here are some of the activities that have taken place here and opportunities you can explore…
Breakfast is served
Coffee time
Fresh produce
Wine tasting
International food market
Outdoor Zumba session
Fashion shows
Full calendar of events
Soap-making workshop
Play areas for children
Gym facilities for residents
Just hanging out
Where is The Mill District
The Mill District is located in North Amherst, in beautiful Hampshire County, in western Massachusetts. The Mill District’s main commercial areas are on Cowls Road around North Square and at Riverside Park.
The Mill District is the experiential heart of the Connecticut River Valley, an area known for its scenic beauty, arts and culture, vibrant communities, abundant farms, educational institutions, and rich history.
North Amherst is situated uptown, just three miles north of Amherst Center and Amherst College. It’s less than a mile north of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. The Mill District borders Franklin County.
Interactive Map
Zoom in and scroll to explore The Mill District, Amherst and surrounding areas.
Our History
Respecting The Past, But Not Living In It
Foundations
The Mill District is built on the foundation of North Amherst’s agro-industrial past. Every generation of the Cowls family has built what their generation of community needed on the Home Farm, while sustainably managing thousands of acres of timberland throughout western Massachusetts.
In previous generations Cowls’ Home Farm has hosted animals and crops; processed dairy products; and manufactured locally-grown and harvested lumber, post and beam timbers, siding, and flooring. This site featured the first electric-powered sawmill in the United States.
On Cowls Road, the Amherst to Sunderland to Holyoke Street Railway System was built by Walter Dickinson Cowls. He also started the Amherst Water Company and built the town’s first affordable housing.
Riverside Park was once a scenic trolley destination. In 1969, Paul C. Jones built Riverside Park Apartments and its retail stores. Then in 1980, just up Sunderland Road, he built Cowls Building Supply.
Building Community
When Cinda and Evan Jones, Cowls’ 9th generation, closed their great-grandfather’s sawmill, they decided what their community needed most in this Internet age was community itself. Starting with the trolley barn and the Cow Barn, this brother and sister team envisioned and built The Mill District.
“Of the sawmill, Dad used to say, ‘Come See What We Saw,” says co-founder Cinda Jones. “Now we hear people say, ‘You won’t believe what we saw today!’ It makes us proud of what we’re building here.”
Creating Opportunities
Cowls’ 9th generation is evolving the family business into a throwback experiential downtown, offering opportunities for local entrepreneurs to share in the progress. Tenants at The Mill District become part of the family and part of the community.
About Amherst, MA
Amherst Massachusetts, is well known for hosting three of the Valley’s Five Colleges, Hampshire College, Amherst College, and Umass Amherst. These institutions contribute to the town’s intellectual vibrancy and make it a global meeting point of cultures, ideas, and opportunities.
With its rich history, burgeoning arts scene, and renowned educational institutions, Amherst offers a blend of cultural heritage and natural beauty.
Beyond The Mill District and Amherst’s educational institutions, the area is simply brimming with attractions. These include The Emily Dickinson Museum, The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, The Drake (a live performance venue with a packed schedule), Amherst Cinema (an independent movie theater), restaurants, coffee shops, galleries and bars.
Nature lovers will appreciate our abundant scenic beauty. The Robert Frost Trail goes through The Mill District. Farther afield are Mount Holyoke Range State Park, located just south of Amherst, offers breathtaking hiking trails and panoramic views of the surrounding valleys. The Norwottuck Rail Trail provides a scenic path for walking, biking, or jogging, winding through forests and farmland, and near wetlands.
Come and experience all that The Mill District, North Amherst has to offer. Immerse yourself in the region’s vibrant cultural scene, stroll through its picturesque landscapes, and be inspired by the intellectual energy that permeates this enchanting town