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Middletown Connecticut is located in Middlesex County, Connecticut. Situated on the Connecticut River, it gives easy access to major highways, airports, railroads and other types of transportation. Within it's 42.32 square miles you will find rural, suburban and urban neighborhoods with a historic downtown district. Middletown is home to almost 43,000 people. It is also home to 6 banks, 25 daycares, 1 hospital (Middlesex Hospital), over 20 public, private and parochial schools, 45 relilgious facilities of various denominations and Wesleyn University.
Though now a culturally diverse city, Middletown was originally held by the Wangunk Indians on its east bank and the Mattabessetts on the west bank. The first European settlers arrived in 1650 from the towns of Windsor, Hartford and Wethersfield, CT. In 1653 the name "Middletown" was adopted because of it's proximity between Windsor, CT and the mouth of the Connecticut River.
When Middletown was first settled by the white men, it covered more land than the present day town. At that time it included sections of Rocky Hill south to Haddam. The western side of town included a large section of present day Berlin and on the east it included East Hampton and Portland.
In 1784 Middletown was incorporated as a city with Jabez Hamilton as it's first mayor. In 1785, the first local newspaper was published, The Middlesex Gazette. In 1938 the Arrigoni Bridge finally connected both sides of the river, named after Senator Charles J. Arrigoni of Durham.
MIDDLESEX COUNTY at CTGENEXCHANGE
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