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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TIN HORN:
Observations & Discoveries

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...

Cemetery Drive Tour Offers Escape

Looking for a reason to get out of the house without worrying about catching or spreading COVID 19? Our self driving tour of 9 cemeteries in and around Middletown is just the ticket. Scenery, history and freedom on four wheels! This poignant memorial to a child can be...

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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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Our Town

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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