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Middletown
Your Trail to the Shore
Officially founded in 1664 as one of the seats of Colonial America, today Middletown thrives as one of the largest
municipalities in the State of New Jersey and the biggest in Monmouth County. With nearly 42 square miles, 67,000
residents and over 350 years of rich history, Middletown has a wealth of activities to offer residents and visitors alike.
One of the earliest European settlements in the state, Middletown features a number of historic structures, including the
Seabrook-Wilson House—also known as the Spy House—one of the oldest surviving houses in the Bayshore area, as
well as the renowned Sandy Hook Lighthouse. Built in 1764, the lighthouse is located inland from the tip of Sandy Hook,
at the entrance of New York Harbor, and deemed the oldest working lighthouse in the United States. Both structures are
on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Middletown Village Historic District in central Middletown is the nucleus of the Township’s first and foremost
settlement. Added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974, the district contains important examples of 18th-
and 19th-century architecture as well as sites that depict the early religious, educational, economic, social and military
history of the town and state. For example, historic Kings Highway was a major thoroughfare during the Colonial period,
even serving as the retreat route for British soldiers on their way to Sandy Hook Bay following the Battle of Monmouth.
Middletown’s acclaimed public library, Arts Center and Brookdale Community College make the town a hub for
education, arts and culture. The town also continues to be a desirable filming location. Some of the most popular
movies filmed in Middletown are Clerks and The Miracle Worker. A number of notable people have called Middletown
home, such as Jon Bon Jovi, Geraldo Rivera and Steven Van Zandt.
Middletown has a plethora of beautiful parks, rolling countryside, lakeside communities and beaches. There is an
abundance of quaint areas to sunbathe, swim, fish, picnic, bike, run, walk and simply breathe in the nature that
surrounds you. For example, Ideal and Leonardo Beaches are tranquil fishing spots and fun places to take the family
during the summer months.
84 www.sparkvisitmonmouth.com
Photo by Jessi Ticino
/www.sparkvisitmonmouth.com
