Encyclopedia 2013
Things Old Are New Again: Hershey’s Modern Office Building
People who regularly drive through Hershey on Rt. 422 (Chocolate Avenue) have noticed all the construction and reconstruction taking place at the original chocolate factory. Included in this project is construction work being done to the building at 19 East Chocolate Avenue, a structure also known as the Windowless or Modern Office Building. Completed in […]
Celebrating Christmas
Later this week, Hershey will gather in front of the Community Building on (14E) Chocolate Avenue to mark the beginning of the holiday season with the lighting of the community Christmas tree. This is tradition stretches back to 1915. That year the Hershey’s Mother’s Club was inspired to put up the community’s first Christmas tree. The idea for having a […]
Happiness is a Mouthful of HERSHEY-ETS
Hershey-Ets’ shape changed to circular “lentils” in 1960. During Milton Hershey’s life, he encouraged new product development, often leading the way with a wide variety of experiments. Many of these ideas did not result in new products, but Mr. Hershey created an environment supportive of new ideas and products. After Milton Hershey died in […]
Home, Sweet Home
Milton Hershey’s rise from poverty to wealth, after he returned to Lancaster, Pennsylvania in 1886, was almost meteoric. Just five years after he had returned to Lancaster, basically penniless, to establish the Lancaster Caramel Company, he was emerging as one of the city’s most successful businessmen. In 1891 Milton Hershey was invited to join the Hamilton Club, a […]
Trick or Treat?
Since that one night celebration that featured special flashlight tours of the zoo’s nocturnal animals, refreshments, special animal demonstrations and ghost stories told around a bonfire, the zoo’s simple event has grown exponentially. Today, Halloween in Hershey is full of popular events that draw tens of thousands of people to Hershey to enjoy Hersheypark decorated for Halloween […]
Riding the Rails: Hershey Park’s Miniature Railway
When Hershey Park first began operating, it was a community park with picnic tables, playgrounds for children, ball fields, a bandstand, a small concession stand and a pavilion that was used for vaudeville style performances, dances and other events. Visitors came to enjoy a picnic, stroll the paths along Spring Creek, listen to a band concert and […]
Where Do You Get Your News? Check Out the The Hershey Press
One of the great resources available at the Archives’ website, is its online access to Hershey’s first newspaper, The Hershey Press. The first issue of The Hershey Press was published on September 3, 1909. A weekly publication, The Hershey Press covered local, Hershey news as well as events in neighboring communities. It is a great resource for local […]
Looking Back: Hershey Park Kiddie Week
Rides specially designed for children began to be added to Hershey Park beginning in 1926. That same year Hershey Park featured its first Kiddie Day. Children 12 years old and younger could register and receive a ticket that would give them free rides and special treats. In 1929 Hershey Park expanded its Kiddie Day to an entire Kiddie Week […]
It’s Wonderful Good: Hershey’s Dutch Days
Hershey’s first Pennsylvania Dutch Day was held on August 27, 1949. It grew out of a Pennsylvania Dutch language class held during the winter of 1948-1949 as part of the Derry Township evening school. Upon completion of the course, the class suggested holding a gathering in Hershey Park that summer to thank leaders responsible for […]
Seeking the Highest Office: Governor Scranton and the 1964 Presidential Race
Few people know that Hershey played a part in the 1964 GOP presidential campaign. Before we get to Hershey, let me give you some background. The Republican primaries of 1964 featured liberal Nelson Rockefeller of New York and conservative Barry Goldwater of Arizona as the two leading candidates. Shortly before the GOP convention, Rockefeller saw […]
Strike Up the Band!
Summer in Hershey means concerts. This past weekend the Dave Matthews Band came to Hershey, bringing traffic and tens of thousands of fans to our community. Presenting internationally recognized stars, such as Dave Matthews, is nothing new for Hershey. Our community has been a destination for top performers since the early 1910s. The Convention Hall, […]
A Bird’s Eye View: Hershey’s Monorail
This weekend is exceptionally busy in Hershey. The band, One Direction, has brought thousands to Hershey. Between the band and Hershey’s regular high volume numbers of visitors during the summer season, the roads are jammed! This is nothing new for Hershey. Every summer residents resign themselves to heavy traffic caused by tourists drawn to Hershey and its […]
Roses for the Queen
1963 was filled with special events. The community celebrated its 60th anniversary with new attractions like Highmeadow Campground (now Hersheypark Camping Resort), new streetlights in the shape of Hershey’s Kisses, parades and an Anniversary Rose Queen. Hershey had started the tradition of selecting a rose queen in 1953, as part of its 50th anniversary celebration. That year, preliminary contests were held […]
You Scream, I Scream, We All Scream for Ice Cream!
When the outdoor temperature rises, ice cream comes immediately to mind. Thankfully, Hershey has always been a place to get great homemade ice cream. Milton Hershey believed in finding a use for everything. The Hershey Chocolate factory needed skimmed milk for making milk chocolate. The Lebanon Creamery, which opened in 1905 processed the milk for […]
“To Serve, Not to Be Served”
While most people think of Hershey in terms of chocolate or amusement parks or even resort hotels, Hershey is also a community filled with people who live and work and go to school. It is a vibrant community whose residents contribute their time and expertise to a variety of social and service organizations. In 1980, […]
Hershey Rotary Club Auction
Hershey Rotary Club just held its annual auction last Saturday. First held in 1968, the auction is the major fundraiser for the Rotary Club who uses the profits to fund its donations to the Hershey Volunteer Fire Company and countless other local organizations. Last week’s Auction was held at the Hershey Lodge, in one of the […]
Looking for the Truth: Hershey’s Chewing Gum
You know how it goes. An event occurs and time passes. The people involved are no longer around. The details of the event become hazy and faulty memories create new, false details about the how and why of the event. An archives is a wonderful resource for confirming the facts of an event and correcting […]
Restoring a Legacy: Hershey Foods Corporation and High Point Mansion
In 1930 Milton Hershey donated his home, High Point, to the newly organized Hershey Country Club to serve as its clubhouse. The house continued to serve as the Country Club Clubhouse until 1970 when the Club moved to a new facility on Derry Road. High Point sat vacant until 1977 when it was acquired by Hershey Foods […]
New exhibit: Hershey in 1963
Did you know that the Archives has a space for small exhibits in the lobby of The Hershey Story? Located right next to the entrance to the Cafe, the exhibit case provides the Archives the opportunity to highlight its collections and use them to tell some of Hershey’s amazing stories. This morning I installed the latest exhibit […]
All You Need Are a Few Good Men…
Milton Hershey had a genius for selecting talented, energetic people to help him manage his business ventures. The leadership and skills of these men freed Milton Hershey to pursue new passions and ventures, including Milton Hershey School, Cuba, and experiments with new products. Foremost among Mr. Hershey’s key managers was William F.R. Murrie. Bill Murrie began work for the […]
Becoming a Destination: Building the Hershey Convention Center
How did a major Convention Center end up being built in Hershey, Pennsylvania? While it makes sense today, in the early 1970s, Hershey was a not a national destination. Hersheypark had just begun its transformation into a themed amusement park, the Milton S. Hershey Medical Center had just opened in 1970 and the Hotel Hershey was perceived as a quaint, […]
The Man Behind the Myth: Milton S. Hershey
The Archives oral history collection provides insight into many aspects of the Hershey community: work, home life, recreation, education. Many of the interviews also contain personal memories of Milton Hershey. Milton Hershey is well honored for his many accomplishments and his generous spirit. The oral histories help us to better understand the man behind the honored name. […]
Hershey Chocolate Company: On the Road
In February 1900, some months before the sale of the Lancaster Caramel Company, Milton Hershey brought the first automobile to Lancaster, and used it to advertise his product. The arrival of the machine was announced in the Lancaster New Era, February 13, 1900: The Hershey Chocolate Company will have the distinction of having introduced the automobile into Lancaster, […]
Looking for Something to Do? Hershey’s YMCA
Providing opportunities for recreation and continuing education has always been an important part of the Hershey community. Today those opportunities are provided by a number of organizations, including the Hershey Public Library, Derry Township Parks and Recreation, The M.S. Hershey Foundation and community groups such as the Hershey Figure Skating Club, Hershey Symphony Orchestra and the Hershey Community Chorus, just to name a […]
Dining Out in Hershey: The Oyster Bar
When Devon Seafood Grill opened for business in Hershey, it brought restaurant goers the opportunity to enjoy fresh seafood. However, this is not the first time a seafood restaurant has opened in Hershey. In 1936 a major addition was made to the Hershey Inn. Located on the southwest corner of Chocolate and Cocoa Avenues, the 1910 Hershey […]
The Pedestrian Tunnel Opens, Finally!
If you live in or near Hershey, you are aware that downtown Hershey has been under construction for for the last couple years. There are several projects going on: straightening the intersection of Cocoa and Chocolate Avenues, building a new bridge over the railroad tracks (to replace a bridge that was built over 100 years […]