I think we all associate that big “second immigration” from eastern and southern Europe with the Great Lakes cities and Pennsylvania.  For Ohio it would be places like Youngstown, Lorain, Cleveland, Toledo, maybe others.    As I’ve been learned this immigrant stream dipped south to take in Columbus and Dayton.

 

And I recently discovered Middletown also had this immigration, based on the online Sanborn maps.  I suspect that, like Dayton, there wasn’t than many, and these ethnic communities have long been assimilated. 

 

Near were Yankee Road meets Verity Parkway (but at that time the canal), was the Slavonic Hall.  So apparently there were Slavs here at one time (don’t know were Slavonics are from…Slovakia or Slovenia?). 

 

 

Interesting to look at the neighborhood context.  A “soft drink” store just down the block on the corner, maybe a former tavern (the map is 1921, just after Prohibition).  Then a row of stores (including a confectionary) just south.

 

Next, on Young Street somewhere on the south side of Middletown (near the B&O railroad, which is the diagonal cutting across the map), is the Middletown Hungarian Church. Or at least it was in 1924.

 

 

Finally, the Greeks.  The Greek Orthodox Church of St. Constantine in central Middletown, on 1st Avenue, about a two blocks south of Central Avenue.

 

 

I don’t know the social history of Middletown.  I figure the steel mill brought the ethnics since Hungarians at least were millworkers in PA.  Just thought it was interesting to see these institutions on the old maps…gee-whiz stuff pointing to a lost or obscure history. 

 

A history one wouldn't suspect based on casual knowlege of modern Middletown.

 

 

I cannot speak for the Hungarian or Slavonic population, but I can say that Middletown had/has a significant Greek population, although I believe it is dying off.  There is still an active Greek Orthodox congregation, the one your mentioned, in Middletown.  Although in a different location.  http://saintsconstantineandhelen.com/

 

When I have more time, I will dig out some information I may have on the Greek community in Middletown.  They are most noted by most long-time Middletown residents for operating Elites, which was an ice-cream store and confectionary located in several spots throughout the Middletown community.  The former Liberty Restaurant downtown were famous for their Liberty Dogs, was owned by Greeks. 

Do a birds-eye view of this map of Young Street and you will see a white church building with the railroad behind.  This is likely the old Hungarian church building. 

 

http://www.bing.com/maps/#JnE9eXAueW91bmcrc3RyZWV0K21pZGRsZXRvd24rb2hpbyU3ZXNzdC4wJTdlcGcuMSZiYj01My45MDQzMzgxNTYyNzQ3JTdlLTQ3LjEwOTM3NSU3ZTI4LjMwNDM4MDY4Mjk2MjglN2UtMTE5LjYxOTE0MDYyNQ==

interesting but not surprizing. where there's an old steel plant of a certain era, these immigrants will have been there.