Independence Day Celebration

The Middletown Recreation Department held their annual Independence Day event on the weekend before the 4th of July. The crowd usually gets bigger near sunset in anticipation of the fireworks show. It was sunny when I was there in the late afternoon, but storm clouds were coming so I left. A big storm blew through right at dusk and I don't know if the fireworks show actually happened or not.



This is a view of the bandstand at the edge of the lake in Middletown Park.

Middletown High School - Ball Field

If I was in a classroom with this view, I'd be distracted by more than just the activity on the field.

Middletown High School - Front Porch

Middletown High School

This is the high school, which is adjacent to the middle school and elementary school campuses at the north end of town. The setting is stunning. I'll post some more pictures of the high school and surrounding area during the next few days.

Main Looking West

This is the view looking west on Main Street at the intersection of Church Street. The farm in the previous post is just one block north and a half block east of this spot.

City Farm

This farm is right at the edge of town; it might even be inside the city limits. The tower in the background and the bank of stadium lights on the right are on the grounds of the high school. I'm standing on Green Street, one block from Main Street.

The Main Cup

In an earlier post, I showed a vintage sign from a long-closed ice cream shop and promised an update. Here it is. Last year, new owners opened a restaurant in the building and named it The Main Cup. The original sign remains in the front and this awning is over the side entrance.

I have now been there twice during breakfast hours and I can honestly say that their coffee is great! So are the pastries. Their main meals are lunch and dinner and I'm told the food is very good.



Here is a view from inside.



This is the original picture I posted:

Waterfall

This is a small part of a decorative retaining wall at the entrance to a housing development and golf course.



It is totally man-made and wouldn't exist without the golf course, but it does look fairly natural.

Another Church

There are several churches in Middletown. Sunday seems like a good day to post a picture of this one.

Where Are The Cars?

The Middletown population is about 3,500 people and the surrounding valley might add a couple thousand more, but I never thought the area was populous enough to support a car dealer. There were actually two in the valley when I moved here, but this one dissappeared last year. They sold Pontiac cars and GMC trucks. Then one day, everything was gone, except for this desk and chair.

Community Service

I didn't know Middletown had a food bank till I walked past it.

Park Bridge

This bridge spans a small creek in Middletown Park.

Americana

There are many versions of American flags flying on the houses and buildings of Middletown, especially near patriotic holidays. This photo was taken on Memorial Day.



Many more flags will be visible in a couple of weeks, during the days before and after the July 4th Independence Day celebrations.

Morning Ride

I plan to ride my bicycle in this park one day this week.

New Too

Middletown is 241 years old, but it is also a new town, with new housing developments sprouting like mushrooms after a spring storm. This shot shows three slices of both old and new. The foreground is part of a golf course, the middle ground is a housing development that is about 10 years old and the rear strip is a working farm. We don't even have to ask the farmers how they feel about the houses and the golf course, do we?

More Than One

Some small towns have just one traffic light. Middletown has four or five, but this is the main one.

C'mon!

Hurry! The game is about to start!

Snallygaster

The shopping scene in Middletown is quite unique. The only franchise names I recall seeing are Safeway, Subway, Sonoco, Shell, CVS and Ace Hardware. Nearly everything else in town is local or regional.

The Suburbs

Rolls of hay are a regular site in farm fields in Frederick County. This one is just north of the Middletown city limits.

Pillar of the Community

Reflection

This park is so peaceful early in the morning. This same park is home to an Independence Day celebration, with games, food booths, music and a fireworks show. I hope to photograph that event and post some of the pictures on this site.

Blue Slide

I'm a morning person, but I guess kids aren't. No children in sight at 8am on the day I shot this picture ... except for me.



Did I or didn't I?

Cemetery

There are at least two cemeteries in Middletown, each next to a church.

Hazy Today

It was hazy and foggy this morning in Middletown. I shot this at 8 in the morning and the temperature was already 82 degrees. The predicted high is 100.

Looking East on Main St.

This is not a great shot, but it does make a statement. Did you notice the most significant part? It is not what you see but what you do not see. Look again.



No cars.

This was photographed just east of the main intersection in Middletown at 9 o'clock on a recent Sunday morning and there are no automobiles, trucks or motorcycles on Main Street. There were no moving vehicles in this view for at least twenty seconds.

That says a lot about life in a small town, doesn't it?

Remember Barber Shops?

Before there was Hair Cuttery at the mall, there were local barber shops. Many had one of these next to the door. I honestly don't know if this marks a barber shop or hair salon; I took the picture then walked away and forgot to check.

Graphic Appeal

I don't have a good title for this one. I just liked the graphic appeal. And you'll see that many homes and businesses in this town display American flags.

Volunteer Fire Department

City Hall

An old town with a modern City Hall.

Sunday

Sunday is "church day" all over Middletown. The steeple of the Zion Lutheran Church is a dominant feature of the Middletown skyline.