Editing Middletown, New York (section)

===Early history===
John Green purchased land from the DeLancey patent and probably settled the area around 1744. Due to its location between other settlements, residents adopted the name of Middletown, changing it later to South Middletown to avoid confusion with a nearby location.  Eventually they dropped the word "south", using the current name when the community became a village in 1848. The village was incorporated as a city in 1888.

The [[First Congregational Church of Middletown]], established in 1785, has the highest spire downtown. Construction of its first building was a sign of Middletown becoming established as a village.<ref>[https://www.thrall.org/photos/106.htm Photo and description of the First Congregational Church]</ref> Its current church building was constructed in 1872.