1945 Map of Middletown

About this map

The Connecticut River bends sharply around Wilcox Island as it passes between the industrial and academic centers of Middletown and Portland at the end of World War II. This 1945 edition reveals the dense urban development of the era, from the campus of Wesleyan University to the sprawling State Hospital complex and several distinct residential heights. Outside the city center, the landscape is defined by the steep ridges of Lamentation Mountain and Spruce Hill to the west, while the New York New Haven and Hartford RR carves a path through the valley to connect the settlements of Cromwell, Berlin, and Middlefield. Local history and genealogy are well-represented by a high density of named burying grounds, including the Indian Hill Cem and Old East Street Cem, alongside institutional landmarks like the Swedish Orphanage and Long Lane State Farm.