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
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.
WE ARE BUILDING HISTORY
Please support the campaign for a Middletown History Center!
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TIN HORN:
Observations & Discoveries
Win This Painting!
This lovely winter view from atop Palmer Hill, Andes looking east towards the central Catskills was painted by the late John Hopkins and is this year’s prize in HSM’s annual raffle. Donated by Meg Hopkins, the acrylic on canvas in white frame measures 9″x12″. Tickets...
Leslie the Lamplighter
Among HSM programs and events canceled by the COVID 19 pandemic was the Living History Tour of Margaretville Cemetery. Among the characters who had planned to greet visitors on June 20 was Arthur Leslie Dumond, stone carver, lamplighter and school janitor. Leslie (he...
Return of the Victory Garden
The battle against COVID-19 has prompted the return of an initiative that helped the US get through two previous wars of the shooting kind: The victory garden. Whether fearful of shopping amid crowds at grocery stores, wary of coming food shortages, or desirous of...
EVENTS:
2024 Calendar
MAY 18
Fire and Flood: A on-hour sidewalk stroll of Margaretville
JUNE 9
Open House: At the NEW Middletown History Center and Nicholas J. Juried Archives
JULY 14
History of the Denver Vega Valley: An illustrated talk by Diane Galusha
AUGUST 11
Silver Dollar Girls: Peg DiBenedetto talks about her mother’s WWII flying experiences
SEPTEMBER 8
The Private Side of History: Readings from local diaries and letters.
SEPTEMBER 21
Margaretville Cauliflower Festival: Music, food, fun. Exhibits and activities at HSM History Tent.
OCTOBER 13
Exploring the Nicholas J. Juried Archives: A guided tour of Middletown History Center research resources
NOVEMBER 2
The Lost Battalion: A Veteran’s Day tribute by Eli Taylor. Part of the HSM Annual Meeting program.
FEATURES
The Deaf Poet
The following is excerpted fromWorks by James O’Connor, The Deaf Poet, with a Sketch of His Life by A. B. Douglas, Jan. 4, 1879James O’Connor, the subject of this sketch, was born in Andes, New York, January 26, 1835. He was always an apt scholar, full of study and...
Bark Peeling Contract
MEMORANDUM OF CONTRACT between Jesse Tompkins and A. Clark and Son in which said Tompkins agrees to peel from four to six hundred cords of hemlock tan bark on such places on Mill Brook as A. Clark and Son may direct. The Bark is to be peeled, piled and saved in a good...
Brothers in Arms: Thomas Elliot and James Elliot
New Kingston Sons of William and Eleanor and grandsons of a Scottish émigré.Thomas: B. Jan. 22, 1840, joined the 90th NY Volunteers in 1864. Mortally wounded at the Battle of Cedar Creek , Va. which occurred Oct. 18 and 19, 1864. Died Nov. 6, 1864. One of 60 from this...
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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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