Middleton’s economy was largely based on agriculture and shipping due to its central location in the Midwest, but grew to include manufacturing. At one point, it was headquarters to three Fortune 500 companies, but lost those employers in the late 90s and early 2000s.10

Charles Colchester founded the town’s first major industrial employer, the Colchester Arms Works, which manufactured rifles and handguns for both Union and Confederate armies in the American Civil War. The company operated until 1899, when the factory exploded, killing nearly 100 employees and town residents.11

In 1910, Middleton became home to the Sharp Industrial Manufacturing Company, later known as the technology company Sharp Industries.12

Middleton was also the headquarters of technology company Sax Enterprises from 1974 until its bankruptcy and dissolution following the death of its founder, Edgar Sax.13

At its peak in the 1990s, Sharp Industries employed more than 5,000 people, or almost a third of the town’s eligible workforce. At the same time, Sax employed approximately 2,500 workers.14

After Sharp offshored most of its consumer electronics division and Sax collapsed, Middleton entered a recession from which it has only recently emerged. The town is now a popular location for telemarketing call centers, due to the residents’ lack of a distinct regional accent. After the call centers, the region’s top employers include Interstate Freight and Warehouse, Middleton Hospital & Health System, Middleton State College, and Statewide Financial Services. Approximately thirty percent of the workforce is employed in the retail or service industries.15

Demographics

As of the 2010 census, the racial makeup of Middleton was 95.3% White, 3.2% African American, 0.2% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 1% from other races, and 1.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.8% of the population. The gender makeup of the population was 50.8 percent female and 49.1 percent male.16

Crime

For several years, Middleton was known as “America’s Safest City,” due to the city’s low incidence of homicide and its police department’s exceptional clearance rate for all crimes.17 From 1992 to 1997, every major crime in Middleton was cleared by arrest, a record for which Middleton Chief of Police Michael Keene received the U.S. Department of Justice’s Innovative Policing Award.18

“New Year’s Evil”

Main article: New Year’s Evil

Middleton was the site of a mass shooting/bombing during a New Year’s Eve dance held at Middleton High School, later dubbed “New Year’s Evil” by the media, which ended with 46 people dead and more than twice as many injured.19

Notable people

Charles Colchester, pioneer, arms manufacturer

Tobias Fox, American politician

Charlotte “Charlie” Hand, alleged mob boss

Jacqueline King, comedian and actress

Robert Neal, nationally syndicated cartoonist

Frank Phillips, inventor of the Acapillow singing novelty pillow

Henry Pryor, undersecretary of the U.S. Department of War, 1939-1945

Edgar Sax, CEO of Sax Enterprises

Daniel Sharp I, founder of Sharp Industries

Daniel Sharp II, inventor, CEO of Sharp Industries

Daniel Sharp III, technologist, CEO of Sharp Industries

Daniel “Danny” Sharp IV, Sharp Industries’ mascot, founder of SharpTech

Laurel Star, Grammy-winning singer/songwriter