Orange County Directory 1878-9
City of Middletown
The village is lighted by gas supplied by the Middletown Gas Light Company whose works are located on Canal and Water Sts. Office King st. H. R. Wilson pres., Ceo. L. Denton sec. and treas. The New York State Homoeopathic Asylum for Insane is located in the western part of the village upon a commanding and beautiful elevation and the massive buildings of this institution are a prominent feature of the surroundings of Middletown the grounds are tastefully laid out with walks and drives and adorned with trees and shrubbery, forming one of the most beautiful and attractive retreats, for the unfortunates anywhere in the country. This institution is yearly growing in popular favor, and is the only asylum in the State that is practically self supporting.
Bull’s Opera house on West Main Street is a fine building supplied with all modern appliances, thoroughly well appointed, and capable of seating one thousand persons. Here are also located two of our prominent business firms, Messrs. Palmer & Harding, boot and shoe dealers, and Robert H. Dolson, dealer in dry goods. There are three other halls in the village. Middletown has several good hotels, the principal one being the Grand Central, Sweet and Lytle proprietors. In the south-western portion of the village is Hillside Cemetery, containing fifty acres. This is one of the most beautiful cemeteries that can be found in any rural district. There are two small lakes within the enclosure, and it has over ten miles of macadamized roads and drives, with gracefully curving and winding walks and emerald lawns beautified by thousands of evergreens and a profusion of flowers and shrubs; a magnificent evergreen hedge extends almost the entire eastern side. Hillside Cemetery is admired by all who see it as one of the most beautiful places of sepulture in this or any adjoining county. Mr. Geo. Wait is the superintendent, and to his unceasing care and labor is due most of the fine effects of landscape gardening produced here. James N. Pronk pres. of the Cemetery association.