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| PORTSMOUTH. Was another of the old towns in this neighborhood. George Fisher sold to
John Swar, of Lancaster, a tract of land between
Middletown
and the river, on March 17, 1814, on which they laid out the town of Portsmouth. The Union
Canal and the Pennsylvania, Lancaster and Harrisburg Railroads intersected at this place.
On the 9th of March, 1857, Portsmouth, which then had a population of about 750, was
consolidated with the borough of Middletown, which had been incorporated February 19,
1828. The old state road, known as one of the "King's Highways", passed through
Middletown from Philadelphia, and on to Carlisle and the Ohio, over what is now, for a
great part, the Lincoln Highway. The present Main Street, at Middletown, occupies the old
highway of these early days. Near Middletown, the United States Army Air Intermediate Depot and Flying Field is on
of the most interesting places in Harrisburg region. This field was one of the chief
centers of mobilization of Pennsylvania troops in the Spanish-American War, 1898, and
during the World War, 1917, it was selected as the location of the general supply depot of
the Army Signal Corps. During the war the following troops were stationed here; the 25th,
503rd, 610th, 615th and 634th. Areo Squadrons. In 1922 this depot was transferred to the
U.S. Army Air Service, and in 1924 it was designated for the conducting of engineering
operations on a large scale. There are about 500 civilian employees in work at this
station. The stock at this place is valued at $20,000,000. There are eight large
warehouses and two steel hangars. This field is destined to be one of the chief stations
of the U.S. Air Service east of the Mississippi. The depot now covers all of the
activities of the U.S. Army Air Service in the eastern part of the United States and
Panama.
The beautiful new building of the Odd Fellows Home, which was recently dedicated, is
situated on the rising ground above the State Highway near Middletown. This home, with its
125 guests and which cost about $300,000, is one of the most complete Homes of any of the
Fraternal organizations in the state. The long stretches of fertile lands lying along the
Susquehanna river below Harrisburg, with the splendid facilities of transportation, and
the central location of these lands in the state, makes this entire region on of the most
suitable and convenient locations in the entire state for all sorts of institutions foe
the service of the people of the Commonwealth, The far sweeping views of the winding river
and rolling valleys, as seen from the river bluff above the highway, make the site of the
Odd Fellows Home one of the most delightful places in the state for the guests of this
home to spend the twilight of their lives. The surroundings make this a "home",
rather than an institution.
("The Chronicles of Middletown," by C. H. Hutchinson 1906, gives a history of
the town and it's churches)
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Dauphin County
Genealogy Resource Center |
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