Welcome to Middleton

Middleton is a town in Essex County about 19 miles north of Boston, along the county's western edge. It pairs a historic center at Routes 114 and 62 with First Period houses, working farmland, about nine miles of the Ipswich River, part of Harold Parker State Forest, and a rail trail into Danvers.

About Middleton

Will's Hill, the town's highest point, was the site of a Native American village, and English settlers arrived in the mid-1600s, including Bray Wilkins and his family on a large grant from Governor Bellingham. Middleton was incorporated in 1728 from parts of Salem Village, Topsfield, Boxford, and Andover, and its Congregational church was organized the next year.

An ironworks operated in town in the 1700s, the Essex Turnpike, now Route 114, was built around 1800, and shoemaking grew through the mid-1800s, along with a paper mill in South Middleton. A rail line ran through town from the 1840s to the 1920s. Middleton borders North Andover and Boxford to the north, Topsfield and Danvers to the east, Peabody to the south, and North Reading and a short stretch of Lynnfield to the west.

Getting Around

Middleton has no commuter rail station or MBTA bus service. The nearest commuter rail stops are North Beverly on the Newburyport/Rockport Line and Reading on the Haverhill Line, both with direct trains to North Station in Boston. Route 114 runs through the town center toward North Andover in one direction and Danvers, Peabody, and Salem in the other, and Route 62 crosses town east to west. I-95 is a short drive east, with an exit on Route 114 in Danvers. The Middleton Rail Trail follows the old rail bed for about two miles to the Danvers line, where it connects to the Danvers Rail Trail.

Middleton Real Estate

Middleton real estate ranges from houses built in the late 1600s to 20th-century homes on former farmland. The town has a large number of surviving early 1700s houses, including center-chimney Colonials, saltboxes, and gambrel-roofed homes, and the Lt. Thomas Fuller House on Old South Main Street dates to about 1684. Gable-front houses with Greek Revival and Italianate trim followed in the mid-1800s, and four-squares, bungalows, Dutch Colonials, and lakeside cottages came in the early 1900s.

Several houses are individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places, including the Lt. Thomas Fuller House, the Joseph Fuller House on Essex Street, the Deacon Edward Putnam Jr. House, and the 1753 Estey Tavern, an old stagecoach stop in the center that is now private homes. Areas include Middleton Square at Routes 114 and 62, Will's Hill, and South Middleton by the Ipswich River.

Living in Middleton

The Ipswich River runs along nearly all of Middleton's eastern and southern edge, and town landings such as Farnsworth Landing by the Route 114 bridge make it easy to put in a canoe or kayak. Part of Harold Parker State Forest lies in Middleton, with ponds and trails for hiking, biking, and horseback riding, and the Bald Hill and Boxford State Forest trails are next door. Middleton Pond is the public water supply for Danvers and Middleton, so it is protected land rather than a swimming spot.

The Flint Public Library in the town center is housed in an 1891 Romanesque Revival building, expanded in 2008 and listed on the National Register. Richardson's Farm is a family-run dairy farm with an ice cream stand. Town Hall and the Community Center are at 105 South Main Street.

Questions About Middleton

What kinds of homes are in Middleton?

Middleton has First Period and early 1700s Colonials and saltboxes, mid-1800s Greek Revival and Italianate houses, early 1900s bungalows and lakeside cottages, and many 20th-century homes built on former farms.

How do you get to Boston from Middleton?

Middleton has no train station, but North Beverly and Reading stations are a short drive away, with direct trains to North Station. By car, Route 114 leads to I-95 in Danvers, and Route 62 heads west toward I-93.

Can you paddle the Ipswich River in Middleton?

Yes. About nine miles of the Ipswich River run through Middleton, and town landings, including Farnsworth Landing by the Route 114 bridge, give canoes and kayaks access to the river.

To see homes for sale in Middleton, browse the listings below. Thinking of buying or selling in Middleton? Call (617) 848-9616 or get a free home valuation. Middleton is part of our North of Boston guide.

Photos: Fletcher6, CC BY-SA 3.0 and John Phelan, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.