Historical Society of Middletown

Town of Middletown, Delaware County, NY

Welcome to the home of the Historical Society of the Town of Middletown (HSM)

The only website dedicated to the history of our town, located in Delaware County, in the Central Catskill Mountains of New York State

To donate items relevant to the history of Middletown and contiguous towns, contact us at historicalsocietyofmiddletown@gmail.org; or 845-586-2400.

HSM is dedicated to preserving the heritage of the villages, hamlets and the contiguous area of Middletown:
The Town of Middletown, in eastern Delaware County, includes two incorporated Villages, Margaretville and Fleischmanns; several hamlets — Arkville, Dunraven, Halcottsville, Kelly Corners, and New Kingston; and outlying settlements with their own unique histories — Redkill/Bedell, Millbrook, Dry Brook and the Denver Valley.

Because history doesn’t always follow political boundaries, HSM also collects and preserves stories and historic materials from contiguous towns — Roxbury and Andes in Delaware County, Hardenburgh and Shandaken in Ulster County, and Halcott in Greene County (which can only be reached through Delaware County). And of course we seek to preserve the heritage of a Middletown community that is no more — Arena, lost more than half a century ago to the Pepacton Reservoir.

WELCOME to the MIDDLETOWN HISTORY CENTER

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Recent Updates…

NEWS:
Recent Press Releases

Armchair Cemetery Tour Aug. 23 / 24

Seven people from the past and a narrator to introduce them will be featured in the Historical Society of Middetown’s 2025 Living History Cemetery Tour August 23 and 24.

Instead of a walking tour through a cemetery, this year’s event has been reimagined as an “Armchair Tour” for the stage at Open Eye Theater in Margaretville. The stories will be just as compelling as in past years, however, with the addition of background visuals.

Birthday Block Party July 26 celebrates Margaretville anniversary

The Village of Margaretville invites residents and visitors to play, shop, eat, drink and dance in the middle of Main Street Saturday, July 26 from 4 to 7 p.m.

Margaretville through the years topic of July 13 program

The Village of Margaretville will mark the 150th anniversary of its incorporation this year. The Historical Society of the Town of Middletown (HSM) will present an illustrated talk on the village’s colorful history Sunday, July 13 at 2 p.m. at the Middletown History Center, 778 Cemetery Rd., Margaretville.

HSM Open July 4, 5

Looking for a little peace and quiet during the holiday weekend? The Middletown History Center, 778 Cemetery Road, Margaretville welcomes visitors July 4 and 5 from 10 to 2.

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TIN HORN:
Observations & Discoveries

WARK: Home-grown TV

WARK: Home-grown TV Back in the Dark Ages, before you could whip out your cell phone, shoot some video and in an instant post it on the internet for all the world to see, there was ‘local access’ cable television. In the Margaretville-Arkville area, it was known as...

Home from The War

Orville Baker led an ordinary life. One of six kids in an ordinary family who grew up in an ordinary town, his death was ordinary, too, for the times. Orville succumbed in 1918 to pneumonia in the murderous worldwide influenza pandemic while serving with thousands of...

Hard luck brings out the neighbors

If you live in the Catskills chances are you’ve attended a benefit supper, concert or ball game to help a sick neighbor or a family fallen on hard times. It’s what we do. Sometimes it’s all we can do. ‘Twas ever thus, it appears. In 1909, Margaretville came together...

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EVENTS:
2025 Calendar

MAY 4
Kids Kingdom 35th Reunion! – Exhibit, videos, food, fellowship!

JUNE 8
The D&N: Ghost Railroad of the Each Branch –An illustrated talk by railroad historian John Duda

JULY 13
Margaretville at 150 –Celebrate the Sesquicentennial of the incorporation of the Village.

JULY 26
Birthday Block Party and Community Portrait! — Celebrate Margaretville’s 150th birthday on Main Street.

AUGUST 23-24
Armchair Cemetery Tour — Meet eight people from the past in air-conditioned comfort!

SEPTEMBER 20
Annual Cauliflower Festival — Food, music, fun, exhibits in the History Tent.

OCTOBER 19
All Things Pumpkin! — Pie, bread, cookies, soup – bring your specialty! Biggest, ugliest, most unique pumpkin contest. Pumpkin painting and more!

NOVEMBER 2
Annual Meeting — Guest speaker photographer William Abranowitz with an illustrated talk. Annual report, board election.

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Civil War Soldiers

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“Man is a history-making creature who can neither repeat his past nor leave it behind.”

W.H. Auden, The Dyer’s Hand

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