Milton S. Hershey
Milton S. Hershey, the man behind Hershey The Sweetest Place On Earth, left an enduring legacy
Milton S. Hershey, the man behind Hershey The Sweetest Place On Earth, left an enduring legacy
The Hershey brand has been synonymous with chocolate products worldwide for over a century. Milton S. Hershey, the man behind it all, was satisfied letting his accomplishments and products speak for themselves.
For more information about the history of Hershey, PA please visit the Hershey Community Archives website at HersheyArchives.org.
Born September 13, 1857, on a farm near Derry Church, a small Pennsylvania community, Milton S. Hershey was the only surviving child of Fannie and Henry Hershey. His mother raised him in the strict Mennonite faith. Frequent family moves interrupted his schooling and left him with a limited education; he only completed the fourth grade.
Following a four-year apprenticeship with a candy maker in Lancaster, PA., he established his first candy-making business in Philadelphia. That initial effort failed, as did his next two attempts in Chicago and New York. Returning to Lancaster in 1883, Hershey created the Lancaster Caramel Company, which quickly became successful, establishing him as a candy maker and setting the stage for future accomplishments.
Hershey became fascinated with German chocolate-making machinery exhibited at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition. He bought the equipment and put it in his Lancaster plant. He soon began producing a variety of chocolate creations. In 1900, Hershey sold the Lancaster Caramel Co. for $1 million to concentrate exclusively on his chocolate business. At that time, milk chocolate was a Swiss luxury product, and Mr. Hershey was determined to develop a formula that was accessible to everyone.
Through trial and error, he created a formula for milk chocolate. In 1903, he began construction on what was to become the world's largest chocolate manufacturing plant. Completed in 1905, it was designed to manufacture chocolate using the latest mass production techniques. Hershey's milk chocolate quickly became the first nationally marketed product of its kind. More than 130 years later, The Hershey Company continues to produce chocolate products that are enjoyed across the globe.
With Mr. Hershey's success came a profound sense of moral responsibility and benevolence. His ambitions were not limited to producing chocolate. He envisioned creating a town for his factory workers that included comfortable homes, inexpensive public transportation, a quality public school system, and extensive recreational and cultural opportunities. Unlike other industrialists of this time, Mr. Hershey avoided building a faceless company town with row houses. He wanted a "real hometown" environment with tree-lined streets, family houses, and manicured lawns. He prioritized providing ample recreation and relaxation areas and built a park that opened on May 30, 1906. It expanded rapidly over the next several years, adding amusement rides, a swimming pool, and a ballroom. Soon, trolley cars and trains brought thousands of out-of-town visitors to that park, known today as Hersheypark.
Many of the town's impressive structures were built during the Great Depression as part of Milton S. Hershey's "Great Building Campaign" to provide jobs. Monumental structures such as The Hotel Hershey, community center, theatre, sports arena, and stadium were constructed then, transforming the town into a major tourist attraction that continues to grow in popularity each year.
Milton S. Hershey's business success allowed him to practice extensive philanthropy. In 1909, unable to have children, he and his wife, Catherine, established a school for orphan boys. In 1918, three years after Catherine's premature death, Mr. Hershey endowed the School with his entire fortune. Today, Milton Hershey School, the home and school he and his wife founded, nurtures, feeds, houses, and educates nearly 2,200 income-eligible boys and girls in grades K-12. The School is perpetuated through the holdings of the Milton Hershey School Trust, which derives support from an annual dividend from Hershey Entertainment & Resorts and profits from The Hershey Company.
Mr. Hershey prioritized the quality of his product and the well-being of his workers over profits, and his legacy continues today. In 1935, Milton S. Hershey established The M.S. Hershey Foundation, a small, private charitable foundation that provides local residents with educational and cultural opportunities. The Foundation supports four entities: The Hershey Story, Hershey Gardens, Hershey Theatre and Hershey Community Archives.
In 1963, The Milton S. Hershey Medical Center of The Pennsylvania State University was founded with a $50 million award from the Milton Hershey School Trust Fund for construction and endowment, and $21.3 million from the U.S. Public Health Services. The College of Medicine enrolled its first students in 1967 and has since conferred nearly 2,500 Doctor of Medicine degrees.
The Milton S. Hershey Testamentary Trust supports the Derry Township School District, the local public school district.
Since his death in 1945 at age 88, Milton S. Hershey's legacy has thrived in a constantly changing world.
The town of Hershey continues to thrive today. More than 20,000 permanent residents live in Hershey, and it attracts millions of visitors annually. Hershey Entertainment & Resorts Company proudly serves as the steward of the town Mr. Hershey created for his factory workers, delivering world-class hospitality, dining outlets, and entertainment venues. For over 130 years, The Hershey Company has fulfilled Mr. Hershey’s wish of making chocolate accessible to everyone.
