Middletown is a census-designated place in Lake County, California, United States. The population was 1,020 at the 2000 census. Middletown was given its name because it is halfway between Lower Lake to the North and Calistoga to the South.
Lake County’s closest neighbor to the South is Napa County, where you find famous places like Calistoga and St. Helena and famous names like Beringer and Krug. State Highway 29 is the main artery through Napa County’s renowned Napa Valley, home to the before mentioned places and names, and is the same highway that brings travelers to Lake County and thus to Middletown. Middletown, at the Southern tip of Lake County and 5 miles from Napa County, is nestled into the heart of the old Mexican Land Grant, Callayomi in the Loconoma Valley. Interestingly, when the original California Counties were formed, the Callayomi Land Grant was in Napa County (see map) and there was no Lake County. Lake County was formed in May of 1861 absorbing areas previously in Napa, Colusa and Mendocino Counties.
Middletown became a town in 1870 and its first house was built that year. In 1871 the first business opened, as well as the new Post Office. Middletown was given its name because it is halfway between Lower Lake to the North and Calistoga to the South. Also the “Road to Lakeport” intersected the road to Lower Lake in the middle of Middletown.
Middletown has experienced various phases of rising and falling prosperity. Early on, Middletown and the surrounding areas were rapidly becoming a destination for those seeking the advertised “healing powers” of the hot springs. Many coaches with many famous passengers stopped at the “Lake County House” while on route to various spas like Harbin Hot Springs, Howard Springs and Seigler Springs. But the early years of Middletown’s economy was mainly driven by mercury (quicksilver) mining. The area being home to such mines as: The Great Western, the Helen, the Mirabel, the Oat Hill, the Socrates, the Bradford and more. After the end of the Second World War, the demand for mercury started its decline which eventually signaled the end to mining as an economic power. But by then, many new Resorts and Spas had been built in the surrounding area, and summer tourists and seasonal residents provided the economic boost needed to keep the area alive. The population would swell several fold during the summer months, thanks to places like Hoberg’s, Forest Lake, Whispering Pines, Cobb Mountain Lodge, Four Nicks, Gifford Springs, Pine Grove, River View Lodge, Adams Springs, Anderson Springs, Loch Lomond and Salmina’s, added to those Spas already mentioned, and then more. But by the late 1960s the hey-day of the summer resorts was fading rapidly. Next was the development of the geothermal steam fields. The Geysers area of Cobb Mountain and southwest is the largest geothermal energy producing area in the world, producing enough electricity to run the cities of San Francisco and Oakland. The development of this enormous geothermal energy project poured more money into the coffers and gave Middletown’s economy a huge boost. Today, Middletown’s economic engine is stabilized by the number of permanent residents who call the area home and by those who are drawn to the area to see family, explore the area, like the Geysers, or are on their way to Clear Lake and Konocti Harbor or any number of other places in Lake County.
The wine industry, that provides the economic engine for the surrounding counties, especially the Napa Valley, is making its presence felt today in Lake County through vineyard and winery development. However, this type development is nothing new to this area, as Middletown has a history of being a grape growing region. Probably the most touted, if not the most famous, historic grape grower and wine maker of the area, was the British Stage Actress, Lillie Langtry. Mrs. Langtry and her lover Freddie Gebhard, both owned property near Middletown, which at one time had been part of the Guenoc Land Grant, and there Mrs. Langtry successfully grew grapes and produced wine. Unfortunately, Mrs. Langtry’s opinion of Middletown fell far short of what one would consider complimentary. In her book, "The Days I Knew" by Lillie Langtry, copyright, 1925, By George H. Doran Company, on page 206, Mrs. Langtry writes; “Three miles away was a street of wooden shanties called Middleton, which boasted a general store, a bar, and a barber shop.” (One wonders how she missed the rest of town?) Today, the area once owned by Mrs. Langtry, boasts its own appellation, Guenoc Valley, and is home to a world famous winery housed in a “state of the art” facility. There are also plans in the works for Middletown’s first college to be located at Guenoc. 1,000 acres have been set aside for the development of the college on the North side of Butts Canyon Road in an area commonly known as McCain Canyon.
Grape growing was not then, and is not today, the only form of agriculture; there were successful cattle ranches, walnut orchards and a few pears. The two best known ranches were the “Diamond D” and “Guenoc”, Guenoc being the largest cattle ranch in the area with a cow and bull herd of over 3,000 at one period and encompassing somewhere near 22,000 acres. Today, however, Guenoc is no longer a cattle ranch, leaving the Diamond D as “the” cattle ranch in the area.
Middletown has a true “old west” history with highwaymen, hangings and shootouts on Main Street. The stagecoach would occasionally be robbed between Calistoga and Middletown and posses formed to look for the perpetrators. Some famous, or infamous, names were, Buck English, Black Bart, Tom Dye and George Coburn. Tom Dye murdered a man in Middletown in October, 1878 by the name of Bates. There is a huge boulder in the mountains above the Great Western called Tom Dye Rock where he supposedly hid out. Story is, Buck English who lived in Anderson Springs, shot a man between the eyes on the Main Street in Middletown. English was also known for his skill in separating people from their livestock and their money. George Coburn is of the same family as the people the “Coburn Tract” is named after. George was a petty thief who law enforcement tried over and over to catch. One fateful night a posse shot and killed George Coburn’s father during a confrontation while searching for the younger Coburn. Young Coburn disappeared into being a legendary character and when small items would disappear, some folks would comment, “George Coburn must be back”.
Learn more about this city.
City of Middletown, CA official site
City of Middletown, CA Chamber of Commerce
City of Middletown, CA newspaper
County of Middletown, CA official site
State of California official site