Middletown in New Castle County, Delaware — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Middletown
Beginning in the 1690s, settler Adam Peterson and his family acquired several tracts of land here. One tract, surveyed in 1733, was given the name "Middletown." The origin of the name is believed to derive from the area's location at the middle point of a road that led from the head of the Bohemia River to the banks of Appoquinimink Creek. Located at the intersection of this road was the busy King's Highway, this crossroads was an important stop for travelers by the mid-18th century. A tavern was established here and a small village developed around it. The town grew rapidly after the railroad arrived in 1855. Located in the midst of some of the state's most productive farmlands, this became an important shipping point for a variety of agricultural products. Of particular note is the prosperous peach industry which flourished until a disease known as "Peach Yellows" destroyed many of the orchards here and elsewhere on the Delmarva Peninsula.
Middletown was incorporated by the Delaware General Assembly on February 12, 1861.
Erected 2001 by Delaware Public Archives. (Marker Number NC-118.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Agriculture • Colonial Era
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Location. 39° 26.974′ N, 75° 43.018′ W. Marker is in Middletown, Delaware, in New Castle County. Marker is at the intersection of W. Main Street (Delaware Route 299) and S. Broad Street (Delaware Route 71), on the right when traveling east on W. Main Street. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Middletown DE 19709, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Witherspoon Tavern (a few steps from this marker); Middletown World War I Memorial (a few steps from this marker); School Bell (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Forest Presbyterian Church (about 400 feet away); Middletown Academy (about 700 feet away); Bethesda Methodist Church (approx. 0.2 miles away); Union Lodge No. 5 A.F.&A.M. (approx. 0.4 miles away); Louis L. Redding Comprehensive High School (approx. half a mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Middletown.
Photographed By Adam Margolis, December 17, 2022
2. Middletown Marker
Photographed By Adam Margolis, July 23, 2010
4. Middletown Marker
Photographed By William Pfingsten, August 17, 2008
5. Middletown Town Square
Credits. This page was last revised on January 24, 2023. It was originally submitted on August 22, 2008, by Bill Pfingsten of Bel Air, Maryland. This page has been viewed 2,332 times since then and 38 times this year. Last updated on September 1, 2020, by Carl Gordon Moore Jr. of North East, Maryland. Photos: 1. submitted on June 2, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. 2. submitted on December 23, 2022, by Adam Margolis of Mission Viejo, California. 3. submitted on June 2, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. 4. submitted on January 14, 2022, by Adam Margolis of Mission Viejo, California. 5. submitted on August 22, 2008, by Bill Pfingsten of Bel Air, Maryland.
