For the most part, this country was founded by pioneers who decided to establish a town in a specific place. That makes sense, right? Well, Milton Hershey built a factory and the town developed around it, the exact opposite of the usual! Hershey, Pennsylvania was established by the chocolate magnate as support for the chocolate manufacturing facilities he erected in the middle of nowhere. Milton Hershey picked rural Derry Township against the advice of friends and business associates. They saw isolation. He saw a ready supply of fresh milk for his chocolate and a steady labor force made up of hardworking Pennsylvania Germans. His advisors saw the tiny town of Derry Church. Mr. Hershey envisioned a complete, new community. Hershey also envisioned his town of Hershey as being a tourist attraction. Milton Hershey was a brilliant capitalist. He realized the public’s interest in his town from its inception. In the beginning, around 1908, he included postcards of the town of Hershey in his nickel chocolate bars and in 1918 he opened a visitor’s bureau and began to offer chocolate factory tours. By 1935, more than 50,000 people a year toured the factory. Today more than 2 million people visit this chocolate wonder land.
Chocolate is savored and enjoyed by millions and millions of people yet few will have the opportunity to visit Hershey, Pa. If you and your family are looking for an unforgettable vacation, Hershey, Pa. needs to be a destination on your bucket list. The very air smells of chocolate! The streets are named after chocolate. The rides, waterparks, tours, historic railroad rides and seasonal events are based on chocolate. How cool is that??
We could go on and on about Milton Hershey and his far reaching sight; how he established schools, how he donated money to Pennsylvania State University to better their school of medicine, and how his philanthropic attitude has helped and is still helping families and causes to this day.
The corporate social vision statement reads “Building on Milton S. Hershey’s legacy, we strive to create positive experiences for our guests and conduct our business in a socially responsible manner while demonstrating care for our employees, our community, and our environment”.
Hershey, Pa offers up more to do than is physically possible in a week. So, plan a trip to Hershey for a couple of weeks and enjoy. You’ll have the time of your life—guaranteed!!