Middletown is a city located in Middlesex County, Connecticut, within the United States. Situated in the central part of the state, it lies along the Connecticut River and is positioned approximately 16 miles south of Hartford. It serves as the largest city within the Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region.
The settlement was originally established by English settlers in 1650 under its Native American name, Mattabeseck, which was derived from a local Wangunk village. The inhabitants of this area were part of several tribes along the Atlantic coast who spoke Algonquian languages. The settlement was officially renamed Middletown in 1653.