Middletown, Connecticut, USA
1854 - Middletown

Middletown, a city, port of entry, and semi-capital of Middlesex county .Connecticut, on the right bank of the Connecticut river, at the head of ship navigation, and on the route of the air line railroad now in process of construction between New York and Boston, 34 miles from Long Island sound, and 24 miles N. E. from New Haven. A branch railroad communicates with the New Haven, Hartford, and Springfield railroad, 10 miles distant. It is pleasantly situated, partly on an acclivity commanding a fine prospect. Main street, on which are the principal stores, hotels, and many of the churches, is broad, level, and with others parallel to it, is intersected at right angles by those passing westward from the river. The elevated portion of the city contains many elegant mansions, surrounded with spacious and highly ornamented grounds. The principal public buildings are the custom house and court house, both constructed of the Chatham free-stone. The latter is adorned with a fine Grecian portico. The Wesleyan University, a flourishing institution under the direction of the Methodists, occupies a beautiful elevation overlooking the city and the valley of the Connecticut. Three newspapers are published. The wharves are commodious, and have 10 feet of water. Steamboats, plying between Hartford and New York, here have a landing. The shipping of the port, June 30th, 1852, amounted to an aggregate of 14,431 tons enrolled and licensed, of which 14,005 tons were employed in the coast trade, and the remainder in the cod and mackerel fisheries. During the year, 14 schooners and 2 steamers with an aggregate burthen of 2213 tons, were admeasured. In the vicinity of Middleton are rich minerals, for an account of which, see Connecticut, page 273. The city contains 3 banks, and a savings' institution. It was settled in 1636, incorporated a town in 1054, and a city in 1784. Population of the town ship, 8441 ; of the city, 4211.

A New and Complete Gazetteer of the United States: Giving a Full and Comprehensive Review of the Present Condition, Industry, and Resources of the American Confederacy ... Thomas Baldwin (of Philadelphia.) Joseph Thomas January 1, 1854 Philadelphia : Lippincott, Grambo & Company 1854.

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