Milton S. Hershey

Andrew PardueOctober 15, 2007

ScienceCore 3-5

Early Life

• Milton Snavely Hershey was born on a farm near Derry Church, Pennsylvania, on September 13, 1857.

• He was the only surviving child of Henry and Fanny Hershey.

• Due to the family’s frequent moves, Milton dropped out of school after fourth grade.

Lancaster Caramel Company

• After three failed attempts at candy-making in Philadelphia, Chicago, and New York, Hershey returned to Lancaster in 1883.

• He then established the Lancaster Caramel Company using a caramel recipe he had learned during his previous travels. The company was a success!

Lancaster Caramel Company (continued)

• Hershey soon became interested in German chocolate-making equipment. He bought this equipment for his factory.

• Even though his company was a success, Hershey determined that the chocolate industry was more promising than caramel. He sold the company for $1,000,000 in 1900 and began what has come to be known as the Hershey Chocolate Company.

Hershey Chocolate

• With the money from the sell of Lancaster Caramel Company, Hershey got 40,000 acres of land near his birthplace of Derry Church, near Lancaster.

• This location could easily provide fresh milk to produce fine milk chocolate.

Hershey Chocolate (continued)

• In 1903 Hershey began building the world’s largest chocolate manufacturing plant. The plant was completed in 1905.

• He was determined to make milk chocolate, a Swiss luxury product at the time.

The Town of Hershey

• Hershey’s chocolate soon became a nationally marketed product. He then constructed the town of Hershey around his factory.

• On April 24, 1907, Hershey opened Hershey Park, an amusement park built to provide amusement for the people in Hershey’s town.

Family

• Hershey married Catherine “Kitty” Sweeney on May 25, 1898.

• They unfortunately could not have children, so they constructed the Hershey Industrial School, which opened in 1909.

• Catherine died prematurely in 1915 and Hershey never remarried.

World War II• The Hershey Chocolate

Company provided the U.S. military with chocolate bars during World War II. These bars were called Ration D Bars and Tropical Bars.

• Between 1940 and 1945, over 3 billion were distributed to troops around the world. The company was later awarded five Army-Navy ‘E’ Production Awards for their help.

Interesting Facts

• Hershey and his wife were supposed to travel on the R.M.S. Titanic, but didn’t because Mrs. Hershey was ill at the time.

• One year after Hershey retired from the management board, he died on October 13, 1945, at Hershey Hospital. He was 88 years old.

                                                   

Quotes

• When asked why he didn’t make a school for girls, Hershey said: “I could not afford to buy the powder and paint that girls use.”

• When Hershey was a small child, he told his parents: “If I ever become rich, I am going to use my money to build schools to give every boy and girl an opportunity to get an education.”

Sources Cited

• Rothe, Anne. "Hershey, Milton Snavely."Current Biography 1945. 6th ed. 1945.

• http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Milton_S._Hershey&oldid=163397942

• "Milton S. Hershey History." Hershey, PA. Hershey Entertainment and Resorts. 16 Oct 2007 <http://www.hersheypa.com/town_of_hershey/history/>.

• Burford, Betty. Chocolate by Hershey. 1. Minneapolis: Carolrhoda Books, 1994.

The End