The History of Middletown, PA

Early 1700 maps of Pennsylvania show that the area of land, now called Middletown, was once the village to the Conoy Indian Tribe of the Susquehannock Nation. When the town was planned out in 1755, some of their lodges were located in the area of where the town square is now located.

  

Middletown was founded in this rich agricultural area, thirty years before Harrisburg.  Due to its location for trade, the town grew rapidly in the next century and a half both by land and water.  The Scotch-Irish were the first white settlers in this area.  It is estimated that nearly 200 Scotch-Irish families resided in the vicinity.  With the sudden growth of settlers, several well-constructed roads had to be built. Middletown was named for its location midway between Lancaster and Carlisle along the Old Stage Coach Road on the Wagon Trail. 

 

Many different architecture styles can be found in Middletown today since the town is so old.  Log cabins, Victorian mansions, churches and several houses are all listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Middletown is noted in colonial records as being a supply depot for the Revolutionary Armies.  Small boats for General Sullivan’s army were built here and his troops were supplied with provisions from local farms.  The Swatara Ferry House is said to have housed Hessian prisoners during the Revolution.

Residents of Middletown published their “Resolves of Independence” from Great Britain at a meeting in 1774 chaired by Colonel James Burd.  These ideas would later become incorporated in the colonies’ “Declaration of Independence”.

After the Revolutionary War, trade grew with the completion of the Pennsylvania and the Union Canals.  Joined together at the confluence of the Susquehanna River and the Swatara Creek, the town was an important trading center for lumber, flour and iron.  The Harrisburg-Lancaster Railroads were also in this area, as well as a ferry which ran back and forth across the River to York County.

Volunteers from Middletown enlisted in all wars leading up to the Spanish-American War of 1898.  Camp Meade was set up as a troop garrison during the Spanish-American War.  Named for the Civil War General George Meade, the camp was visited by President William McKinley.

The proud history of the Olmsted Air Force Base is said to have begun here when the United States Army Signal Corps established a military presence in Middletown with this temporary staging area during the Spanish-American War. 

When the Middletown General Supply Depot broke ground on the site of what had been a pickle farm for the H.J. Heinz Company in 1917, the aviation section of the Army Signal Corps and the 113^th Aero Squadron of the Pennsylvania National Guard were assigned to the new facility and the first aircraft landed in 1918.

By 1941, with the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the Depot became an important part of the war effort. As the largest airplane overhaul center in the world, it employed 17,000 civilian employees.

The Middletown General Supply Depot became Olmsted Air Force Base in 1948 and the Olmsted Field runway was expanded and modernized in 1958.  During the Korean Conflict, the base continued to overhaul jets until its closing in 1964.  Olmsted Field then became Harrisburg-York State Airport which would later become Harrisburg International Airport.

The lives of many residents of Middletown were impacted for nearly a half century by Olmsted Air Force Base; as well as playing a very important role during war times.

Have you visited Middletown to enjoy in its rich history?  What aspects of this community appeal most to the traveler in you?

Local Tourism Spotlight: National Civil War Museum

To continue our local tourism spotlight posts, today we share with you a recent visit that one of our marketing personnel, Cheryl W., enjoyed at the local Civil War museum.

The National Civil War Museum is the only museum in the United States portraying the entire story of the American Civil War.  Galleries offer equally balanced presentations without bias to the Union or the Confederate causes.            

                                          

Located on top of a hill overlooking the City of Harrisburg, the museum offers spectacular views of the city and the surrounding mountains.  A touching sculpture created by Terry Jones at the entrance of the museum entitled “Moment of Mercy” depicts the selfless act of courage by 19 year old Sergeant Richard Kirkland, a scene that could be found many times throughout the war.

                                                                                                         

Ascending the Grand staircase upon entrance, this self-guided tour begins on the second floor of the museum.  The American struggle is portrayed as a time line, focusing on the four actual years of the war.  The pre-War period includes a collection of artifacts reflecting the evolution of American Slavery.           

                                                          

The Creation of the Confederacy and the first shots fired upon Fort Sumter signal the beginning of the American Civil War.  The Making of the Confederate and Union Armies features uniforms, weapons and other items used by the Artillery, Infantry and Cavalry units as well as the Union Navy.                  

                                                                 

Pictures are on display of the military camp established in Harrisburg by Pennsylvania Governor Andrew Curtain.  Camp Curtain became one of the North’s most important training centers for volunteers and new recruits.  The camp also served as a supply depot and a center for the sick and wounded.  Governor Curtain is often referred to as “the greatest of the Northern war governors”.  During his term in office, Pennsylvania contributed 427,000 soldiers serving in the war.

Some of the battles depicted are:  Bull Run, Shiloh, Vicksburg, Chancellorsville, Antietam and Gettysburg.  More than 3 million men served in the military during the four years of war; 700,000 died and nearly 400,000 were wounded.  War related deaths from 1861-1865 were greater than the total number of American deaths in all American wars.  Gettysburg was the single bloodiest battle ever in American history.  Out of 170,000 men, there were over 50,000 casualties.                                                                                       

Disease killed more soldiers than battlefield wounds, claiming over 96,000 lives. One in sixty five was killed in battle - One in thirteen died of disease.  Cleanliness and proper sanitation helped reduce sickness.  Various artifacts of personal hygiene can be seen including; soaps, toothpaste, shaving kits and mirrors.  A field hospital is also displayed featuring a surgery.  Surgical instruments, syringes, crutches and artificial limbs are showcased; but the most impressive item on display has to be the hospital wagon - believed to be the last surviving ambulance from the civil war era!                                               

The tour concludes with General Robert E. Lee’s surrender at Appomattox Courthouse and the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln at Ford’s Theater in Washington.  On display are newspapers, a picture of the funeral procession, a sash from the funeral train and even a piece of the dress Mary Todd Lincoln was wearing that fateful night.  Less than a year later, slavery was abolished by approval of the 13^th Amendment to the Constitution.


Have you enjoyed a visit to the National Civil War Museum?  What are your favorite exhibits at the museum?  If you've not been there, are you planning a visit now that you've read this post?

Spotlight on Local Tourism: Roundtop Mountain Resort

Cheryl W., a member of the Harrisburg International Airport staff had the opportunity to visit Roundtop Mountain Resort for a snow tubing trip.  She enjoyed it so much she wanted to share her experience.  Learn more...  

Last month I had the pleasure of going to Roundtop Mountain Resort.  This was my first time to visit Roundtop, which is of course best known for its skiing and snowboarding.  The mountain has 17 trails with 5 chairlifts and features some of the steepest terrain in the state.  So if you’re planning on hitting the slopes, this is the place to go.  Roundtop Mountain is an easy drive from I-83, I-81, Route 15 and the PA Turnpike.

For my first experience, I chose to go snowtubing.  After grabbing a tube, it was time to jump on the Magic Carpet lift to the top of the run.  I chose a lane and the staff assisted me in how to get positioned on the tube and where to hold on to the handles.  You are given the choice of going down the run feet first or face first and you can choose just a single run or doubles with a partner.  There were many possibilities to pick from.  With a gentle push, I was screaming with delight as I took my first snowtubing ride.  It was so much fun.  Several rides later, it was time to take a break.  My first stop was the giant fire pit located next to the lanes.  I was wishing I had a stick and a marshmallow to toast.  After stepping inside the lodge to warm up next to the fireplace, it was time to once again grab my snowtube.  With each run, from the first to the last, the rides only got better. 

With my snowtubing adventure complete, it was time to head up the road to the main lodge to check out the Fireside Pub & Grill.  This restaurant is a great place to kick back, grab a drink and relax while enjoying a front row view of the slopes.

The enthusiastic staff made this visit such an enjoyable experience.  As soon as I entered the Mountainview Lodge to get my tickets from the cashier, the employees at the tubing lanes and the magic carpet lift, the housekeeping staff and the guys at the Pub; the whole team made you feel welcome.  I can’t wait to go back again.

Just because winter is over doesn’t mean you have to wait until next year to visit.  Beginning next month, Roundtop will be open with Mountain Adventures.  Play a game of paintball, take a ropes course, go for a ride in a Go ball or jump in a bumper boat.  If your adventure includes a zip line, you’ve come to the right place.  The vertical trek begins with a chairlift ride to the top of the mountain.  Come back down using a series of 10 exciting zip lines as you descend over 600 feet through the treetops.  If that seems a little too adventuresome though, you may choose a roundtrip ride on the chairlift.    

For more information on Roundtop Mountain Resort, visit www.skiroundtop.com. 

Are you a regular at Roundtop? What are your favorite year round activities at this local destination?