Middletown. 1 Industrial city (1990 pop. 42,762), Middlesex co., central Conn., on the west bank of the Connecticut River; settled 1650, inc. 1784, town and city consolidated 1923. Its manufactures include brake linings, marine hardware, rubber footwear, clothing, computer parts, and textiles. Shipping brought early prosperity to Middletown, and during colonial days it was the state's leading shipping, commercial, and cultural center. It is the seat of Wesleyan Univ. A bridge (1938) spans the Connecticut River to Portland.
2 Industrial city (1990 pop. 24,160), Orange co., SE N.Y., on the Wallkill River; settled 1756, inc. as a city 1888. It is in a dairying, farming, and resort area. Among the city's products are furniture, clothing, electronic products, medical instruments, footwear, tools, perfumes, flavors and extracts, pig lead and alloys, and machinery.
3 Industrial city (1990 pop. 46,022), Butler co., SW Ohio, on the Great Miami River, in a farming area; inc. 1866. Steel, aircraft parts, and paper products are manufactured. A branch of Miami Univ. is in the city.
4 Rural and resort town (1990 pop. 19,460), Newport co., SE R.I., on Rhode Island and Narragansett Bay; set off from Newport and inc. 1743. There are dairy farms and nurseries. Its name is derived from its location between Newport and Portsmouth. During the American Revolution, Middletown was pillaged (1776) by the British.
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