Photo essay: Stumpy’s Hatchet House

from Middletown Life Fall/Winter 2021 Edition

Delaware’s fastest-growing town attracts attention

|Middletown Life Photo Essay| Stumpy’s Hatchet House: Throwdown, Middletown

Whether it is a corporate event, a bachelor party or just a group of friends and family, Stumpy’s Hatchet House has become the place where the joy of good company meets the thrill of nailing a bullseye

Text by Richard L. Gaw

Derived from the French word Hachette, the hatchet traces its origins to 6000 BC, and for the next several millenniums, it was – and still is – used as a single blade striking tool to cut tree wood. By the 1940s, hatchet throwing competitions known as Loggersports began to be introduced at lumber camps to see who the most accurate lumberjack was, and by 2020 the activity had spawned a surge in popularity that led to the opening of hundreds of hatchet throwing venues in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Europe.

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Photos by Moonloop Photography

Stumpy’s Hatchet House: Throwdown, Middletown

Who knew that the simple act of throwing a tool – when complimented to the fullest extent with the requirements of safety – could be that much fun? The lumberjacks knew it right from the start, and for those who have been heading to Stumpy’s Hatchet House in Middletown, they know it, too.

Throughout its rustic interior, Stumpy’s Hatchet House in Middletown -- one of a few dozen Stumpy’s franchises in the U.S. – has offered amateur lumberjacks the opportunity to aim, point and throw hatchets at its 12 indoor and outdoor throwing pits and 24 targets since 2018. Every toss finds its target under the watchful eyes of certified instructors who provide extensive training and monitor every session to ensure that competitors know how to stay safe and throw their hatchet like a true lumberjack.

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Stumpy’s Hatchet House

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At Stumpy’s, there’s a wide variety of beverages to choose from – from domestic beers to delicious cocktails -- and several preferences for seating and relaxation, such as cushy leather couches, high top tables, a kitchen island and dining room tables.

“When you come to Stumpy’s, it’s like a social throwdown time and a place that is local,” said Milton Delgado, who owns the Middletown franchise with his husband Hector Correa, Hector’s brother Exan and Exan’s wife Anne. “When you come to the Hatchet House, you’re coming to our house, and we will treat you just like family.

“I always tell our staff that every guest who walks through our door should be treated as if they are our family, our friends, our peeps…Our ‘Stump-Peeps.’”