Middletown transcript., 1869-01-16
For the Mddle'own Transcript.
The Growth Of NIiddletown.

aware Rail Road, twenty-five miles below
Wilmington, and 110 miles from Girls
field, the terminus of the Delaware r. R.
from which point steamer runs direct to
Norfolk, Va. forming the shortest route of
travel south from Philadelphia. Middle
town is attractive to strangers its we'll
paved and well-laid-out streets, the beau
tiful view afforded by the surrounding
country, and the generous hospitality of
its citizens, are all unsurpassed. The
beautiful agricultural region surrounding
it, for miles in every direction, is perfect
plain, resembling prairie, all in high
state of cultivation. Farms averaging
from $50 to 500 acres; buildings large
and eommodious, embellished with beauti-
full lawns well set with shrubbery and or
namental shade trees; enclosed by neatly
trimmed hedges of Usage Orange; planted
with extensive Peach orchards of the
choicest fruit, which finds ready sale in
the Philadelphia and New York markets !;
the quality of the soil unsurpassed for
grain or fruit; raspberries, blackbcrrics
and strawberries, grown in great profu-
| sion, and access to market so easy, makes
this whole region worthy of the attention
of men of enterprise. Middletown being
wealthy and populous district, its inhabi-
tants social, moral and enterprising, gives
it advantages possessed by few rural towns
anywhere,
1t is an ancient place, its commence
ment dating back to about the year 1868
Like many southern towns its improve
ment was slow; from that period up to
| 1854, about the time the Delaware r. r.
was chartered, there were not more than
70 houses, including stores, shops, and all
other buildings. Previous to the con-
| struction of the Railroad, this portion of
the State and all below, was in dilapida-
ted condition. Agriculture languished,
energy Aagd, the population emigrated to
the West, and there seemed to be little
hope for the future. But now, all is
changed; the iron horse filed the people
with new energy, and the dead are alive
again. Middletown awoke from her leth-
argy, shook off the accumulated dust of
years Of inactivity, town lots came into the
market, new dwellings, stores, and shops,
were erected, the laboring man and the
mechanic took advantage of the times and
provided themselves with houses. and
there was erected between 1854 and 1867
about 60 houses. In the Fall of 1866 an
other portion of land came into market and
gave a fresh impetus to the progress of the
town. New lots were laid off, and new
streets y Building Loan Company was
chartered, with capital stock of $780,
900, the stock all sold, and many citizens
thus enabled to buy and build. Three
fourths of the whole area of 81 acres of
land has been sold off in town lots, al
though it has been but two years in mar
ket, and thirty-seven new houses have
been erected since January 1st, 1867. Up
to 1854, or thereabouts, Middletown had
no Churches directly in the town. Among
her improvements since that date up to
1867 are one Methodist Episcopal Church,
one Presbyterian Church, one new Hotel,
one remodeled; one large new Store, a
large new Depot, &c. These comprise
the public buildings, the rest were dwell
lings. From January, 1867 to the pres
ent, the newly erected buildings are "A
Town Hall, 20 feet square, three stories
high, with the Citizens National Bank
and two Stores on the first floor; large
Auditorium and Banquet Room on the
I'd floor, and on the Sd floor a Masonic
Hall, Good Templars' Hall, and a Public
Library the whole heated by pipes from a
furnace in the basement, and lighted by
gas from laboratory in the building.
This beautiful edifce is second to none in
the State, and is justly an object of town
and neighborhood pride. The other build
ings are, four Stores, and the balance, 81
in all, are dwellings.
The reader will perceive that the i'm
provements in two years have been very
great, and if her capitalists and moneyed
men will only encourage and foster the
spirit of improvement so rife here, Middle
town is destined to become place of con-
siderable note But if selfshncss controls
them, 1T will serve to check her progress
and confne her within her present limits.
Middletown, within her corporate lin
its, covers an area of 800 acres. She is
located on two cross streets forming the
centre of the town. 40 feet wide exclusive
of the side walks, which are seven feet,
and all paved with brick Other streets,
run parallel with the above, east and west,
north and south, making beautifully laid
out town. The names of the several
streets are-Main, Broad, Anderson,
Crawford, Lake or Washington, Lock
wood, Green, Wood, Cass, Scott, Wilson,
Cox, and Catherine streets. The build
ings of most note are two large brick
churches, Methodist and Presbyterian, one
frame Chapel, Protestant Episcopal; Town
Hall, one Public Hall or Lecture Room,
ono National Bank, two Hotels, Post Of