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 townÂ’s economy. In 1979, the Three Mile Island nuclear incident assured that Middletown would be known to the rest of the world....

Pioneer settlers began arriving in Pine Creek Valley after the Revolutionary War, drawn to the pristine wilderness filled with towering white pines and hemlocks. In the 1880s, descendants of those settlers began extensive lumbering operations aided greatly by the arrival of the railroad through the valley. Additional logging railroads were rapidly constructed up the tributary runs to the great stands of trees. Pine Creek's villages flourished, with both large and small sawmills buzzing. Around 1910, when the great lumbering days ended, many of the village populations plummeted. Throughout the 20th century and into today, the area remains a popular tourist destination for fishing, hunting, and outdoor enthusiasts....