Middletown Pins and Buttons
Description: The Middletown Mansfields were an early baseball team in Middletown, Connecticut that existed from 1866 to 1872. In the summer of 1866, a ballclub was established at Middletown's Douglas Pump Company by the factory owner's son, sixteen-year-old Ben Douglas Jr. Douglas named the team after his great-uncle General Joseph Mansfield, a Middletown native and Civil War hero. That year, they lost their first match to the Lincoln club of New Britain by a score of 50-1, but steadily improved thereafter; in 1869, Mansfield put up a 8-2 record, all against other Connecticut clubs.
Description: Middletown is a scenic township in Monmouth County, known for its coastal charm and welcoming neighborhoods. With its marina views, leafy streets, and vibrant community events, it offers a delightful suburban atmosphere. This drawing makes a thoughtful keepsake or gift for anyone who appreciates Middletown’s inviting character.
Description: The Flying Merkel is without question among the most notable early American motorcycles ever made. From his original shop in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1902, Joseph proved to be an innovator, developing industry firsts that still influence motorcycles made today. Always considered a premium quality motorcycle, Merkel Company wasn't focused on mass market bikes, rather enthusiasts and racers looking for the best of the best. Ohio's Miami Cycle Manufacturing purchased the company in an attempt to give them a top tier motorcycle. The 1911 Flying Merkel V-Twin would be that motorcycle, as it built on Merkel's innovative engineering to reach levels of performance previously unheard of both on the road and on the popular wood tracks of the time.
Description: Founded in Middletown, Connecticut in 1920, Bailey's Express got their start hauling loads of 40-quart milk canisters to New Haven. They eventually stopped delivering milk and would later diversify, building up a varied customer list with regional businesses of all sizes from a myriad of industries and providing them with a suite of comprehensive freight forwarding services. Bailey's picked up freight in Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island and brought it back to their Middletown terminal where goods were repackaged nightly into larger loads and shipped out to their final destination via over-the-road line haul trucking companies. The Middletown terminal operated 20 hours per day and handled 500 loads every night.
