Smithfield House, now privately owned, may be Middletown's oldest surviving residence. Its original walls, made of chestnut logs in the mid-1700s, were replaced with stone walls in the early 1800s. A blacksmith had established a shop here in the 1740s, and the place became known as Smithfield. Situated along an Indian trail and later the old National Road, the house witnessed the passage of many famous people and events. George Washington passed here in 1748 as a young surveyor and soldier and noted that this valley was one of the most beautiful places he had ever seen. In 1862, thousands of Union and Confederate soldiers passed by here. Over the years, notable businesses grew up around the house, including a large tannery, a creamery, and the Gladhill Furniture Store, which is still in business today.