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Tourism
Heritage Festival Parade
WELCOME to the heart of the beautiful Middletown Valley! Stretching from the Catoctin Mountains to the east, South Mountain on the west, with the Pennsylvania border to the north and the Potomac River and Virginia to the south, you are now in the location a young Lieutenant George Washington commented that the Middletown Valley was one of the most beautiful places he had ever seen. So, come visit, shop, eat, and soak in the views. Middletown, Maryland is steeped in history – from the mid 1600’s and Colonial settlements to the new millennium and high-tech biological engineering, Middletown contributes at every turn of the page. The Revolutionary and Civil Wars passed through Middletown along the Old National Pike, turning our homes and churches into headquarters and hospitals. Middletown continued to develop from a settlement of farmers and ranchers, traders and crafters, businessmen and clergymen – without losing her agricultural roots. To learn more about our history, stroll to our new Heritage Park at the corner of Main Street and Jefferson Street. It is a place to gather, sit, and relax in front of our historically inspired fountain. You’ll be drawn to our mural, an enlarged circa 1890s photograph depicting Main Street. We invite you to also come inside Town Hall at 31 West Main Street and spend some time in our Heritage Gallery. Upstairs visitors will find historic artifacts and photos galore, engaging, and interactive exhibits, and rotating exhibits on the history of Middletown. For a deeper dive check out our Heritage Walking Tours! These tours discuss the growth and development of Middletown and the people who lived, worked, and built our community. This Heritage Tour map is made possible by a grant from the Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area, a certified heritage area of the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority. Not only are we steeped in history, but Middletown has traditions that we carry-on today. Be sure to visit our website frequently as we have many town-wide events and celebrations, from Movies in the Park, to a very patriotic 4th of July, Christmas in the Valley, and our largest event, Heritage Middletown is a great place to eat! We have delicious restaurants to tempt and treat both families and foodies! Be sure to include a visit to Orchid Cellars, a boutique winery just outside of Town. For a complete listing, visit our Business Directory. Looking to cycle, run, walk, jog, walk by a stream, take in a game of golf? We have over 2.75 miles of paved walking trails and over 190 acres of parkland. Richland Golf Club offers some of the finest golf in the Valley with all the amenities. As you can see, there is a lot to see and do and experience in Middletown! We look forward to your visit! Visit Main Street Middletown for details on dining, events, cultural and recreational destinations in the Valley and the Frederick Tourism Council for more ideas on planning a weekend getaway.
The Middletown Seal In 1985, the Burgess and Commissioners held a contest to design a seal for the Town of Middletown. The winner of the contest, George Brigham, Jr., looked to Middletown’s past for his images of the Town. He chose a farmer behind a team of horses and a stagecoach passing a mile marker on the Old National Pike to symbolize Middletown’s beginnings. Everything is set with the mountains in the background. “The Town wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for the National Pike, for farming,” said John Calvin Gladhill, Chairman of the selection committee. Most of the other entries included scenes of the Town from today (1985), centering on the spire of the Zion Lutheran Church on Main Street. The committee felt that those designs were a little too reminiscent of Frederick’s clustered spires and the committee did not want to appear to imitate Frederick. The committee also liked the fact that a human figure is the center of the seal. “People are what built Middletown”, Gladhill said.
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