Middletown, Delaware
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Middletown is a town in
New Castle County New Castle County is the northernmost of the three counties of the U.S. state of Delaware (New Castle, Kent, and Sussex). As of the 2020 census, the population was 570,719, making it the most populous county in Delaware, with nearly 60% of the ...
,
Delaware Delaware ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Maryland to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and New Jersey and the Atlantic Ocean to its east. The state takes its name from the adjacent Del ...
, United States. According to the 2010 Census, the population of the town is 18,871.


Geography and climate

Middletown is located at (39.4495560, –75.7163207) with an elevation of . According to the
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the town has a total area of , of which is land and 0.16% is water.


Infrastructure


Transportation

The
Delaware Route 1 Delaware Route 1 (DE 1) is the longest numbered state highway in the U.S. state of Delaware. The route runs from the Maryland state line in Fenwick Island, Sussex County, where the road continues south into that state as Maryland R ...
toll road passes along the east edge of Middletown, and the town has a signed exit at
Odessa Odesa (also spelled Odessa) is the third most populous city and municipality in Ukraine and a major seaport and transport hub located in the south-west of the country, on the northwestern shore of the Black Sea. The city is also the administrativ ...
for
Delaware Route 299 Delaware Route 299 (DE 299) is a state highway in New Castle County, Delaware. It runs from Maryland Route 282 (MD 282) at the Maryland state line east of Warwick, Maryland to DE 9 in Mathews Corners, traveling throug ...
. The U.S. Route 301 toll road is just west and north of Middletown, serving the
Chesapeake Bay Bridge The Chesapeake Bay Bridge (also known locally as the Bay Bridge) is a major twin bridges, dual-span bridge in the U.S. state of Maryland. Spanning the Chesapeake Bay, it connects the state's rural Eastern Shore of Maryland, Eastern Shore regio ...
to the southwest. US 301 has exits for Middletown at DE 299 west of town and
Delaware Route 71 Delaware Route 71 (DE 71) is a state highway in New Castle County, Delaware. The route runs from U.S. Route 13 (US 13) south of Townsend north to another intersection with US 13 in Tybouts Corner, traveling to the west ...
north of town. DE 71 passes north–south through Middletown on Broad Street and heads north to the Summit Bridge and south to
Townsend Townsend (pronounced tounʹ-zənd) or Townshend may refer to: Places United States *Camp Townsend, National Guard training base in Peekskill, New York *Townsend, Delaware *Townsend, Georgia *Townsend, Massachusetts, a New England town ** Townsend ...
and
U.S. Route 13 U.S. Route 13 (US 13) is a north–south U.S. highway established in 1926 that runs for from Interstate 95 (I-95) just north of Fayetteville, North Carolina to US 1 in the northeastern suburbs of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in Morrisville ...
. DE 299 passes east–west through Middletown on Main Street.
Delaware Route 15 Delaware Route 15 (DE 15) is a state highway in the U.S. state of Delaware. The route runs from DE 14 west of Milford in Kent County north to DE 71/ DE 896 in Summit Bridge, New Castle County, just south of the Summ ...
, a rural road, is concurrent with DE 299 at Middletown, allowing access to
Dover Dover () is a town and major ferry port in Kent, South East England. It faces France across the Strait of Dover, the narrowest part of the English Channel at from Cap Gris Nez in France. It lies south-east of Canterbury and east of Maidstone ...
and
Smyrna Smyrna ( ; grc, Σμύρνη, Smýrnē, or , ) was a Greek city located at a strategic point on the Aegean coast of Anatolia. Due to its advantageous port conditions, its ease of defence, and its good inland connections, Smyrna rose to promi ...
.
DART First State The Delaware Transit Corporation, operating as DART First State, is the only public transportation system that operates throughout the U.S. state of Delaware. DART First State provides local and inter-county bus service throughout the state and ...
serves Middletown along the Route 43 bus, which runs between the Amazon fulfillment center and a
park and ride A park and ride, also known as incentive parking or a commuter lot, is a parking lot with public transport connections that allows commuting, commuters and other people heading to city centres to leave their vehicles and transfer to a bus, Rail t ...
in Odessa during rush hours, and the Route 63 bus, which serves as a circulator route through Middletown between the Amazon fulfillment center and the park and ride lot in Odessa. From the park and ride lot in Odessa, riders have access to the Route 301 bus to Wilmington and
Dover Dover () is a town and major ferry port in Kent, South East England. It faces France across the Strait of Dover, the narrowest part of the English Channel at from Cap Gris Nez in France. It lies south-east of Canterbury and east of Maidstone ...
and the seasonal Route 305 "Beach Connection" bus to
Lewes Lewes () is the county town of East Sussex, England. It is the police and judicial centre for all of Sussex and is home to Sussex Police, East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service, Lewes Crown Court and HMP Lewes. The civil parish is the centre of ...
and
Rehoboth Beach Rehoboth Beach ( ) is a city on the Atlantic Ocean along the Delaware Beaches in eastern Sussex County, Delaware. As of the 2010 U.S. census, the population was 1,327, reflecting a decline of 161 (11.2%) from the 1,488 counted in the 2000 ce ...
. The Route 37 bus provides rush hour weekday service between the Amazon fulfillment center in Middletown and Wilmington via the
Christiana Mall The Christiana Mall is a super-regional shopping mall located between the cities of Newark and Wilmington, Delaware, United States. The mall is situated at the intersection of Interstate 95 (exit 4A) and Delaware Route 1/Delaware Route 7 (DE 1 e ...
while the Route 47 bus provides rush hour and Saturday service between the Amazon fulfillment center in Middletown and Wilmington via U.S. Route 13. The Route 302 bus provides intercounty service between
Newark Newark most commonly refers to: * Newark, New Jersey, city in the United States * Newark Liberty International Airport, New Jersey; a major air hub in the New York metropolitan area Newark may also refer to: Places Canada * Niagara-on-the ...
and Dover via Middletown, serving the Amazon fulfillment center.
Cecil Transit Cecil Transit is a public transit agency providing bus service in Cecil County, Maryland, Cecil County in the US state of Maryland. The agency, which is owned by Cecil County, operates fixed-route bus service along five routes serving the Cecil Cou ...
operates a Demand Response route twice a month between
Cecilton, Maryland Cecilton is a town in Cecil County, Maryland, United States. The population was 663 at the 2010 census. Geography Cecilton is located at (39.402919, -75.869430). According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , all ...
and Middletown, providing residents of southern
Cecil County Cecil County () is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland at the northeastern corner of the state, bordering both Pennsylvania and Delaware. As of the 2020 census, the population was 103,725. The county seat is Elkton. The county was ...
access to shopping and healthcare in Middletown. The
Delmarva Central Railroad The Delmarva Central Railroad is an American short-line railroad owned by Carload Express that operates of track on the Delmarva Peninsula in the states of Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia. The railroad operates lines from Porter, Delaware to Hal ...
's Delmarva Subdivision line runs through the center of Middletown. Summit Airport is just to the north of the town. The larger Wilmington Airport is in New Castle, and the nearest airport with commercial air service is the
Philadelphia International Airport Philadelphia International Airport is the primary airport serving Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The airport served 19.6 million passengers annually in 2021, making it the 21st busiest airport in the United States. The airport is located from t ...
in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...
.


Utilities

The Town of Middletown Electric Department provides electricity to the town. The electric department is a member of the
Delaware Municipal Electric Corporation The Delaware Municipal Electric Corporation (DEMEC) is a Joint Action Agency and wholesale electric utility that represents nine municipal electric departments in the state of Delaware in the United States. The agency, which was created in 1979, is ...
. The town maintains an electric substation, with electricity supplied to the substation by a 138,000 kV line from
Delmarva Power Delmarva Power is an energy company that provides electricity and natural gas to customers on portions of the Delmarva Peninsula in the states of Delaware and Maryland. The company is a subsidiary of Exelon. Electricity and natural gas Delmarva P ...
's Mt. Pleasant Substation. A second 138,000 kV line to the town's substation is being constructed from Delmarva Power's Townsend Substation to increase the reliability of electricity in Middletown. The Water/Wasterwater Department provides water and sewer service to Middletown. Trash Tech provides trash collection and recycling to Middletown. Natural gas service in Middletown is provided by Chesapeake Utilities.


Health care

Christiana Care Health System operates the Middletown Free-standing Emergency Department in Middletown, offering 24-hour emergency care with 18 treatment rooms. It opened in April 2013 at a cost of $34 million.


Education

Public education in Middletown is provided by the
Appoquinimink School District The Appoquinimink School District is a public school district in southern New Castle County, Delaware. The district office is located in the Odessa Park Building, 313 South Fifth Street, in Odessa, Delaware, with Matthew Burrows as the current sup ...
, which has recently built a new elementary school to accommodate the population growth of the area and overcrowding at the other elementary schools. Overcrowding at Middletown High School, which was over-capacity by 400 students during the 2005–2006 school year, resulted in the construction of a second high school,
Appoquinimink High School Appoquinimink High School (AHS) is a public high school in Middletown, Delaware. It is a part of the Appoquinimink School District. Construction of the two-story building began in 2006 See clippingfrom Newspapers.com and ninth grade students we ...
, which opened in Fall 2008, as well as a third high school, Odessa High School, which opened in 2020. The
St. Georges Technical High School St. Georges Technical High School is a public vocational-technical high school in unincorporated area, unincorporated St. George's Hundred, Delaware, northeast of Middletown, Delaware, Middletown. It has over 1,100 students in grades 9–12 with a ...
is located to the northeast of the town. MOT Charter School has two buildings, a high school to the northeast, and a K8 building in the southwest. Two private schools are located on the side of the town: St. Anne's Episcopal School, which offers grades K-8, and St. Andrew's School, a coed
boarding school A boarding school is a school where pupils live within premises while being given formal instruction. The word "boarding" is used in the sense of "room and board", i.e. lodging and meals. As they have existed for many centuries, and now exten ...
affiliated with the
Episcopal Diocese of Delaware The Episcopal Church in Delaware, formerly known as the Episcopal Diocese of Delaware, is one of 108 dioceses making up the Episcopal Church in the United States of America. It consists of 33 congregations or parishes in an area the same as the St ...
.
Wilmington University Wilmington University (WilmU) is a private university with its main campus in Wilmington Manor, Delaware, with a New Castle street address. - It was founded in 1968 as Wilmington College by educator Dr. Donald E. Ross. As of 2016, the unive ...
had a location in town.


Demographics

As of the
census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...
of 2000, there were 6,161 people, 2,298 households, and 1,631 families residing in the town. The population density was . There were 2,514 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 94.42%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
, 1.30%
African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.11% Native American, 0.78%
Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 0.02%
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...
, 1.93% from
other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 1.44% from two or more races.
Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...
or
Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...
of any race were 5.29% of the population. Population in 2012: 19,483 White alone - 10,804 (58.4%) Black alone - 4,863 (26.3%) Hispanic - 1,319 (7.1%) Asian alone - 940 (5.1%) Two or more races - 491 (2.7%) American Indian alone - 29 (0.2%) Other race alone - 31 (0.2%) •Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone - 18 (0.10%) There were 2,298 households, out of which 41.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.5% were
married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...
living together, 18.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.0% were non-families. 22.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.14. In the town, the population was spread out, with 30.9% under the age of 18, 9.5% from 18 to 24, 33.5% from 25 to 44, 18.3% from 45 to 64, and 7.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.7 males. The median income for a household in the town was $41,663, and the median income for a family was $47,270. Males had a median income of $35,688 versus $30,044 for females. The
per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...
for the town was $18,517. About 8.8% of families and 10.9% of the population were below the
poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including 12.7% of those under age 18 and 13.6% of those age 65 or over.


Growth

Recent annexations of land have stimulated Middletown's growth; it is known as the fastest growing area in Delaware. Between 2000 and 2010, the population of the town grew 206.3%. Many affluent housing developments surround the town's center, especially to its north, attracting, among others, commuters from Wilmington, and even
Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...
. Middletown's commerce has grown accordingly. National retail and food
chain store A chain store or retail chain is a retail outlet in which several locations share a brand, central management and standardized business practices. They have come to dominate the retail and dining markets and many service categories, in many pa ...
s have opened locations in the area, with significant growth along the U.S. 301 corridor. An
Amazon Amazon most often refers to: * Amazons, a tribe of female warriors in Greek mythology * Amazon rainforest, a rainforest covering most of the Amazon basin * Amazon River, in South America * Amazon (company), an American multinational technology c ...
fulfillment center is located in Middletown. This growth is more characteristic of suburban sprawl, a stark difference from Middletown's historic growth patterns. As a result of the rapid growth of the area, Middletown established its own police force, The Middletown Police Department, on July 2, 2007. The Police Department officially began on October 3, 2007 with a foundation of 20 officers from surrounding Delaware police departments.


Events

Middletown is home to the Olde Tyme Peach Festival, an annual tradition that attracts tens of thousands of visitors each August. Main Street in the center of town is closed to traffic and activities begin with a parade down the street. Other entertainment includes local art and historical exhibits, live music, crafts, games, and a variety of food including limited time peach flavored treats. There is also a 5k run/walk on the same day of the festival, where all proceeds are donated to benefit the local sports boosters. Middletown hosts the M.O.T. Big Ball Marathon, an annual Labor Day event that benefits local charities. The marathon runs 24 hours straight where people of all ages come out to play baseball on previously registered teams with an oversized softball, giving it the name "Big Ball". In 2013 the marathon had its most successful year, raising a record $65,000 in funds over the 24 hours. Middletown also hosts an annual Hummers parade. The parade's name is a spoof of the nearby Philadelphia
Mummers parade The Mummers Parade is held each New Year's Day in Philadelphia. Local clubs (usually called "New Years Associations" or "New Years Brigades") compete in one of five categories (Comics, Wench Brigades, Fancies, String Bands, and Fancy Brigades). ...
. As opposed to the Mummers, which is judged seriously, the Hummers dress up and make fun of all the popular news headlines, political, celebrity, and local happenings of the year.


Media

''The Middletown Transcript'' is the main publication for the Middletown, Odessa and Townsend area. The first edition was printed on January 4, 1868. This community newspaper is published every Thursday.


Film appearances

The 1989 film ''
Dead Poets Society ''Dead Poets Society'' is a 1989 American drama film directed by Peter Weir, written by Tom Schulman, and starring Robin Williams. Set in 1959 at the fictional elite conservative boarding school Welton Academy, it tells the story of an English t ...
'' starring
Robin Williams Robin McLaurin Williams (July 21, 1951August 11, 2014) was an American actor and comedian. Known for his improvisational skills and the wide variety of characters he created on the spur of the moment and portrayed on film, in dramas and come ...
was filmed almost entirely on the school grounds at St. Andrew's School. The theatre scene was filmed at The Everett Theatre on Main Street. The episode of ''
The West Wing ''The West Wing'' is an American serial (radio and television), serial political drama television series created by Aaron Sorkin that was originally broadcast on NBC from September 22, 1999, to May 14, 2006. The series is set primarily in the ...
'' entitled "
Two Cathedrals "Two Cathedrals" is the 44th episode and second season finale of ''The West Wing''. It was first broadcast on May 16, 2001 on NBC. President Bartlet is beset by memories of Mrs. Landingham as her funeral approaches. Meanwhile, the staff deals w ...
" (#44) was partly filmed at St. Andrew's School.


Notable people

* Dennis C. Blair (born 1947), former Director of National Intelligence and retired United States Navy Admiral, attended St. Andrew's School * John H. Brown Jr. (1891–1963), decorated Vice admiral in the U.S. Navy *
Erin Burnett Erin Isabelle Burnett (born July 2, 1976) is an American news anchor, currently the anchor of ''Erin Burnett OutFront'' on CNN. She previously worked for CNBC as co-anchor of ''Squawk on the Street'' and the host of ''Street Signs''. Burnett has ...
(born 1976), journalist, attended St. Andrew's School *
Chris Godwin Rod Christopher Godwin Jr. (born February 27, 1996) is an American football wide receiver for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Penn State and was drafted by the Buccaneers in the th ...
(born 1996), wide receiver for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League * Stephanie Hansen (born 1961), Delaware state senator *
Dwayne Henry Dwayne Allen Henry (born February 16, 1962) is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher who played for the Texas Rangers, Atlanta Braves, Houston Astros, Cincinnati Reds, Seattle Mariners and Detroit Tigers. In , he pitched in Japan for t ...
(born 1962), former
Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
pitcher *
Chad Kuhl Chad Michael Kuhl (born September 10, 1992) is an American professional baseball pitcher in the Washington Nationals organization. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Colorado Rockies. High school and co ...
(born 1992),
Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
pitcher
Pittsburgh Pirates The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Founded as part of the American Associati ...
*
Morgan Hurd Morgan Elizabeth Hurd (born July 18, 2001) is an American artistic gymnast and a five-time member of the United States women's national team (2016–21). She is the 2017 World all-around champion and balance beam silver medalist and the 2018 ...
(born 2001), artistic gymnast and 2017 World all-around champion *
Reggie Leach Reginald Joseph Leach (born April 23, 1950) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey right winger who played 13 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Boston Bruins, California Golden Seals, Philadelphia Flyers, and Detroit Red ...
(born 1950), former
Philadelphia Flyers The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia. The Flyers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home games in Wells ...
forward * Shane O'Neill (born 1972), winner of the first season of Ink Master *
Maggie Rogers Margaret Debay Rogers (born April 25, 1994) is an American singer-songwriter and record producer from Easton, Maryland. Her big break came when her song "Alaska" was played to Pharrell Williams during a master class at New York University's ...
(born 1994), singer, attended St. Andrew's School *
Silas Simmons Silas Joseph Simmons (October 14, 1895 – October 29, 2006) was an American semi-professional and professional baseball player for African-American teams in the pre-Negro leagues era, and became the longest-lived major league player in history. ...
(1895–2006), longest-lived professional baseball player in history *
Loudon Wainwright III Loudon Snowden Wainwright III (born September 5, 1946) is an American singer-songwriter and occasional actor. He has released twenty-six studio albums, four live albums, and six compilations. Some of his best-known songs include "The Swimmin ...
(born 1946), folk singer


References


External links


Town of Middletown
{{authority control Towns in New Castle County, Delaware Towns in Delaware