Why was Middletown named Middletown? That is a question many have asked. Middletown, New York, a city with a rich history, was settled between 1760 and 1770. Families like the Greens, Moores, Wickhams, Everetts, and Wellses made their homes here.
Middletown’s story begins in a large tract of land. This land was known as the Minisink Angle. Surveyors divided it into lots. Settlers eventually bought these lots and built their homes.
East and West Main Streets formed part of the old Minisink Road. This road connected Mechanicstown and Phillipsburg to Goshen and Mount Hope. The oldest house in Middletown stands at 315 East Main Street. It is the Nathaniel and Jerusha Wickham Wells house built in 1775.
Originally, Middletown was in Ulster County. The Orange County line was just to the south. John Green bequeathed land for a church. The First Congregational Church was erected in 1786. It was built on the site of the current structure on East Main Street. A graveyard was established there as well.
The origin of Middletown’s name is debated. Some say it was halfway between the Hudson and Delaware Rivers. Others believe it was between other settlements. One historian suggests it was named after Middletown, Connecticut. Another theory links it to signal fires used during the Revolutionary War. This gives Beacon Street a new meaning.
A private school was founded in 1791. It stood at 15 South Street. The boundary between Orange and Ulster Counties shifted in 1798. Middletown then became part of Orange County. It was also part of the Town of Wallkill.
The first library opened here in 1801. A tannery followed around 1805. This tannery was Middletown’s first industry. It later moved to Fulton Street. The Montgomery Turnpike was chartered in 1809. It ran through Middletown to Montgomery. Dr. David Hanford became the hamlet’s first physician in 1810.
During the War of 1812, the Wallkill Republican Blues served briefly. In 1813, a public school was established. A post office opened on October 22, 1816. Stacy Beakes served as postmaster. From 1829 to 1849, the post office was called South Middletown. This avoided confusion with another Middletown.
In 1821, Middletown acquired its first fire-fighting equipment. It was nicknamed the Bread Tray. The first brick house was built from 1836 to 1837. The hamlet’s first bank was chartered in 1839. The first newspaper was published in 1841. Wallkill Academy, Middletown’s first higher learning institution, opened in 1842.
Orange County Furnace opened in 1843. It became an important industry. The arrival of the New York and Erie Railroad in 1843 was significant. Middletown remained the line’s terminus until 1846. From 1838 to 1848, Middletown’s population more than tripled.
Middletown was incorporated as a village in 1848. Stacy Beakes became the first village president. The Whig Press, Middletown’s first local newspaper, appeared in 1851. Wheeler, Madden and Bakewell, saw makers, became a major business. The modern fire department was organized in 1859.
Many Middletown residents served in the Civil War. Three received the Congressional Medal of Honor. After the Civil War, more railroads were built through Middletown. In 1888, Middletown was incorporated as a city.
Today, Middletown has redeveloped old buildings. It is home to restaurants and breweries. The city’s history is preserved by the Historical Society of Middletown. You can find them at 25 East Avenue. They are open Wednesdays.