Middletown, New York facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Middletown, New York
City
From top, left to right: Skyline of Middletown; O&W Station; Gilman Center
Seal
Country	United States
State	New York
County	Orange
Incorporation as village	May 15, 1848; 177 years ago (1848-05-15)
Incorporation as city	October 9, 1888; 136 years ago (1888-10-09)
Government
• Type	Mayor–council
Area
• Total	5.33 sq mi (13.81 km2)
• Land	5.31 sq mi (13.74 km2)
• Water	0.03 sq mi (0.07 km2)
Elevation	520 ft (160 m)
Highest elevation (North boundary along Kennedy Terrace)	740 ft (230 m)
Lowest elevation (Unnamed tributary of Monhagen Brook along south boundary)	460 ft (140 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	30,345
• Density	5,719.00/sq mi (2,208.31/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP Code	10940
Area codes	845
FIPS code	36-47042
Wikimedia Commons	Middletown, New York

Middletown is the biggest city in Orange County, New York. It's located in New York's Hudson Valley area. You can find it near the Wallkill River and the Shawangunk Mountains. Middletown is between Port Jervis and Newburgh, New York.

In 2020, about 30,345 people lived in Middletown. This was an increase from the 28,086 people counted in 2010. The city's ZIP Code is 10940. Middletown is part of a larger metropolitan area that includes Kiryas Joel, Poughkeepsie, and Newburgh.

Middletown became a city in 1888. It grew a lot in the 1800s and early 1900s. This was because it was a stop for several railroads in New York State. This helped many small factories and businesses start up. Today, some of the main employers in Middletown include SUNY Orange, the Times-Herald Record newspaper, and Orange & Rockland Utilities. Many people also work at the Galleria at Crystal Run mall and Walmart nearby.

A Look Back: Middletown's History

East Main Street in 1909

The Erie Railroad's Middletown Station in 1971, now Thrall Library

How Middletown Began

A man named John Green bought land here around 1744. Because the area was in the middle of other settlements, people started calling it Middletown. Later, they added "South" to avoid confusion, but eventually dropped it. The community officially became a village in 1848 and then a city in 1888.

The First Congregational Church of Middletown was built in 1785. Its tall spire is a landmark downtown. The current church building was finished in 1872.

Growing Through the Years

Middletown grew a lot during the 1800s. This growth was helped by the building of railroads like the Erie Railroad. Factories for shoes, lawnmower blades, and furniture opened up. These businesses did well until after World War II.

In 1950, the Webb Horton House and its land were given to start Orange County Community College. This college is now known as SUNY Orange.

By the 1960s, many of the old factories had closed. In 1968, Middletown added the nearby Village of Amchir. In the 1970s, the economy faced more challenges. A large Ford Motor Company plant closed, and IBM reduced its operations nearby.

Later, some people who worked in New York City started moving to Middletown. They found more affordable homes here. This helped the local economy. Today, the only railroad left is the Middletown and New Jersey Railway, which carries freight. The city's population has continued to grow. Its economy now focuses more on services and retail, with a major hospital being a big employer.

Modern Middletown Today

The downtown area of Middletown changed when big shopping malls opened outside the city. These malls, like the Galleria at Crystal Run, attracted many stores away from downtown. Some downtown buildings are empty, but there are still many small businesses, offices, restaurants, and bars.

Downtown Middletown has several historic churches. The City Hall and City Court are on James Street. Some neighborhoods, like Presidential Heights, have large Victorian houses. The countryside around Middletown used to have many small dairy farms. However, family farming has become less common since the 1980s.

Middletown is home to the Times Herald-Record newspaper. Mediacom Communications Corp, a cable TV company, has its main office nearby. Bell Flavors & Fragrances also has a manufacturing site here.

Fun Places to Visit

The First Congregational Church, built in 1872, has the tallest spire downtown

The downtown area, especially North and Main streets, has many different kinds of restaurants. You can also find small shops and thrift stores. There are several churches in the neighborhood. The city has the Paramount Theatre, a large movie theater that also hosts live shows and concerts. There's also a local arts council, a bowling alley, and the Thrall Library.

Middletown has groups like Boy Scouts of America and Girl Scouts of the USA. Other community clubs include Lions Club, Elks Club, Kiwanis, and Rotary Club. The Rotary Club holds a Horse Show at Fancher Davidge Park every fall. Middletown is also where the Orange County Fair takes place each summer. You can also visit the Orange County Fair Speedway. Highland Lakes State Park is a state park nearby. There are good places for hiking, biking, and scenic drives.

For shopping, you can visit the Galleria at Crystal Run. This mall is just east of Middletown. There are also many stores along Route 211 on the east side of town.

Middletown's Hillside Cemetery was designed by Calvert Vaux. He also helped design Central Park in New York City.

Where is Middletown?

Perspective map of Middletown from 1887 with list of landmarks by L.R. Burleigh

Middletown is located in Orange County. The city is mostly surrounded by the town of Wallkill. Only its southern part is in the town of Wawayanda.

The city covers about 5.2 square miles (13.3 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small amount of water. The city's water comes from Monhagen Brook and the Wallkill River.

Weather in Middletown

Middletown has a climate with warm summers and cold winters.

Getting Around Middletown

Middletown station is part of Metro-North Railroad's Port Jervis Line

You can reach Middletown from New York City by bus. The city is also close to major highways like Interstate 84 and NY 17. Other state routes, 17M and 211, go right through the city.

The Middletown-Town of Wallkill train station is nearby. It's on Metro-North Railroad's Port Jervis line. This train can take you to Port Jervis, other towns in Orange and Rockland Counties, and even New York City.

Randall Airport is about 4 miles (6.4 km) from the center of Middletown.

Middletown has its own bus service called Middletown Transit. It has four routes that meet at the bus station. From there, you can connect to other bus services like Coach USA and Short Line. There's also a "Main Line" bus that connects to other villages in Orange County. Another route goes to areas like Newburgh and Woodbury.

Who Lives in Middletown?

In 2010, Middletown had 28,086 people. About 39.7% of the people were Hispanic. 36.6% were white (not including Hispanic). 21.0% were African-American, 1.9% were Asian, and 0.8% were Native American.

In 2000, there were 25,388 people living in the city. About 34.0% of homes had children under 18. The average family size was 3.27 people. The median age was 33 years old.

1896 photo of Arthur Fanshon and E. P. Nickinson, about age 6, in a production of The Mikado in Middletown

Schools and Colleges

Twin Towers Middle School

Morrison Hall (SUNY Orange, Middletown campus)

Middletown has several schools for students of all ages. There are three elementary schools for kindergarten through fifth grade. These are Presidential Park Elementary School (built in 2014), William A. Carter Elementary, and Maple Hill Elementary. Since 2005, the school district has offered full-day kindergarten.

For middle school, students go to either Twin Towers Middle School or Monhagen Middle School. Middletown High School is the only high school, serving grades nine through twelve. There is also a Catholic elementary school called Our Lady of Mt. Carmel.

SUNY Orange is a college located in Middletown. Its campus includes the historic Webb Horton House, also known as Morrison Hall. While SUNY Orange has other campuses, most of its buildings and students are in Middletown. Over 6,100 students attend SUNY Orange. They offer many classes, including those for lifelong learning. Adelphi University also has a center on the SUNY Orange campus.

Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine opened a campus in Middletown in 2014. It is located in the building that used to be Horton Hospital.

Nearby Communities

Nearby Goshen, viewed from its Historic Track, the oldest continuously operating harness racing track in the country

Middletown is surrounded by many other towns and villages. Here are some of them:

• Circleville
• Goshen, which is the county seat
• Monroe
• Newburgh
• Otisville
• Pine Bush
• Port Jervis
• Slate Hill
• Town of Crawford
• Town of Greenville
• Town of Hamptonburgh
• Town of Mamakating
• Town of Montgomery
• Town of Mount Hope
• Town of Wawayanda
• Town of Wallkill

Places Right Next to Middletown

U.S. Census Map

These communities are very close to Middletown:

• Crystal Run – A small community east of Middletown.
• Fair Oaks – A small community north of Middletown.
• Howells – A small community northwest of Middletown.
• Mechanicstown – A small community bordering Middletown to the southeast.
• Michigan Corners – A small community east of Middletown.
• Phillipsburg – A small community southeast of Middletown.
• Pilgrim Corners – A small community bordering Middletown to the west.
• Rockville – A small community north of Middletown.
• Scotchtown – A small community northeast of Middletown.
• Van Burenville – A village north of Middletown.
• Town of Wallkill – This township almost completely surrounds Middletown.
• Washington Heights – A small community bordering Middletown to the north.

News and Radio

The Times Herald-Record is a daily newspaper in Middletown. It was formed by combining several older newspapers, some of which started in the 1850s.

WALL radio (1340 AM) plays classic hits and has been on the air since 1942. WOSR (91.7 FM) is a station that repeats programs from NPR affiliate WAMC.

Famous People from Middletown

See also

In Spanish: Middletown (condado de Orange, Nueva York) para niños