Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
More historic than 94% of U.S. towns · #167 of 758 in New York. What drives it
15 places in town are on the National Register, among them three historic districts with 96 buildings between them. Below: maps from 1901 on and the census since 1820.
Middletown dates its founding to 1789 (Wikidata). The census first counted it in 1820.
More historic than 94% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Middletown is more historic than 94% of U.S. towns, #167 of 758 in New York. All 3 inputs are above most U.S. towns; its National Register listings ranks highest and its age lowest.
New York towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical New York town has 12.3 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Middletown’s 349 sits above most of its state (88% of New York towns have fewer) while its 115 historic buildings outnumber those of 90% of U.S. towns.
Founding year: Wikidata (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Middletown had its own post office from 1804 to 1848. Eight other post offices opened and closed inside today’s town.
US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Middletown’s history is told.
The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.
National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.
From Wikipedia’s history of Middletown.
The town was formed from parts of the towns of Rochester and Woodstock in 1789 before the formation of Delaware County. The area of the original town has been reduced by the formation of new towns.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Passages that mention Middletown, cut from the printed page as they were published.
Conewago Church — This church was located about four miles from Middletown near where the village of Gainsburg (laid out in 1812), now stands. There is no account of its erection, but in 1741, Rev. Samuel Black was their regular preacher, indicating that a church had been built previous to that time. This structure had probably fallen to decay, for another was erected, the only record of which, that has come down to us, is that its builder was killed by falling from its roof in 1745, and was buried in the graveyard attached. It could have had but a transi-
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
and ran a schooner in the West India trade. While in the West Indies he contracted the yellow fever. He recovered, but thereafter abandoned a sea-faring life. In May, 1803, he removed with his family from Middletown to the Berkshire :Mountains, and bought a place situated about a mile and a half west of the village o'f Stockbridge, Mass. This place he afterward sold, and purchased a farm on the west margin of the mountain lake, of clear, deep water, one mile wide and two miles long, at the upper
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
[Cornwell Lineage: L William Cornwell of Middletown, Ct., was at Roxbury 1634, and at Hartford 1639; removed early to Middletown, where he was deputy to the General Court in 1654, 1664, and 1665. He died at Middletown, Ct., Feb. 21, 1678, leaving widow Mary. Flis first wife was Joan, and probably the mother of his eight children.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
During the many years that elapsed between the death of George Fisher, the founder of Middletown, and the return of his son, the residence at "Pineford" was rented, part of the time to Mr. Benner, the father of John and Jacob, and they were born in the old two-story log house (the first building in Middletown), which was afterwards torn down by Edward Fisher.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
BuiltFirst Presbyterian Church of Margaretville is built
On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
BuiltMaxbilt Theatre is builtEvery edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Middletown. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Middletown.
Between 1,949 and 4,051 people in every census since 1820.
21 censuses, 1820–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Middletown’s Wikipedia page.
Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.
In 1789, according to Wikidata. Middletown’s post office opened in 1804, and the census of 1820 counted 1,949 people here.
Middletown is more historic than 94% of U.S. towns, #167 of 758 in New York. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
15 listings: 11 buildings, among them the Kelly Round Barn (listed 1984, the first), 3 historic districts, the Hubbell Family Farm and Kelly's Corners Cemetery, the Pakatakan Artists Colony Historic District and the New Kingston Historic District, with 96 contributing buildings, and 1 site. 115 historic buildings in all.
28% of Middletown’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±5.5 points), against a typical 27% for a New York town; the median home was built in 1974.
What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
From Wikimedia Commons (6), the National Register of Historic Places (15), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System and old county and town histories (Internet Archive). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
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