Middletown was settled in 1752, when George Fisher arrived from Philadelphia and built a home on the west bank of Swatara Creek. Named Middletown because it was midway between Lancaster and Carlisle, this oldest town in Dauphin County became incorporated as a borough in 1826. Through the years Middletown became noted for its Wincroft Stove Works, Standard Steel Car Company, Middletown-Royalton Brick Works, and Rough Wear Clothing Company. During World War II, Olmsted Air Force Base added greatly to the town�s economy. In 1979, the Three Mile Island nuclear incident assured that Middletown would be known to the rest of the world.
