Middletown in Frederick County, Maryland — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Middletown
"Middle of What?"
| — | The Historic National Road, America's First Federally Funded Highway | — |
Noted for the tall white spire of the Zion Lutheran Church, Middletown has been framed by its picturesque valley for over two centuries. German Protestants, fleeing persecution in Europe, founded the community before the American Revolution. Michael Jesserong, who laid out the town in, named it Middletown as he sold four lots to Conrad Crone in 1768. No one is sure what the name means. Perhaps it refers to the community as the center of its own Middletown Valley, midway between South Mountain and Braddock Heights.
That valley, with its rich agriculture, gave the town a ready market from the start. When the National Road came through in the early 1800s, Middletown became a welcome respite between two steep mountain ridges. Harness, blacksmith and carriage shops joined the tavern and hotels that serviced th parade of travelers passing on Main Street. Locals began to refer to their street as "the main road from Baltimore to the western states." The "main road" also brought several Union and Confederate armies during the Civil War. Middletown was ransomed from Confederate General Jubal Early in 1864 for the grand sum of
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[Captions:]
The white Zion Lutheran Church has been the signature structure in Middletown since it was built in 1859. At the time of this photo, Main Street, the Naitonal Pike, cut a wide, muddy swath through town.
Erected by America's Byways; Maryland Heritage Areas Authority; National Road Heritage Foundation.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Roads & Vehicles • Settlements & Settlers • War, US Civil. In addition, it is included in the The Historic National Road series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1768.
Location. 39° 26.637′ N, 77° 32.759′ W. Marker is in Middletown, Maryland, in Frederick County. It is on West Main Street (Alternate U.S. 40) west of Garage Drive, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 13 W Main St, Middletown MD 21769, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the Washington Metropolitan Area and in Central Maryland. It is also in the American Mid-Atlantic. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere,
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: 13 West Main Street (here, next to this marker); Main's Ice Cream Factory (a few steps from this marker); 31 West Main Street (a few steps from this marker); Clovinger House (a few steps from this marker); 16-18 West Main Street (within shouting distance of this marker); Valley Savings Bank (within shouting distance of this marker); 8 West Main Street (within shouting distance of this marker); The Coblentz-Long Building (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Middletown.
Another marker is no longer nearby. Middletown (has been replaced with this marker).
Credits. This page was last revised on October 10, 2026. It was originally submitted on October 10, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 7 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 10, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
