While Hershey may be known for its kisses and candy bars around the world, our family learned about Milton S. Hershey the man, the entrepreneur and philanthropist, during our recent visit to Hershey, Pennsylvania. Pull into the parking lot at Chocolate World and the first thing you may see is a roof full of characters, modeled after Hershey Chocolate favorites, but once you have made your way through Hershey’s Great American Chocolate Tour, ride on Hershey’s Trolleyworks through town and witnessed a 3-D movie, you will know that Milton Hershey not only created something to satisfy the cravings of young and old, but he also created a community that heals, entertains and educates.

My kids may be 15 and 18 but they were all for hopping on the continuously moving Hershey’s Great American Chocolate Tour and my husband Mike and I were right there with them. A free attraction, the ride gives you an overview of why this area of the country was selected by Milton Hershey for his factory and gives visitors an idea of what the candy maker’s real factory looks like. They selected this part of Pennsylvania for the pastures full of cows that were prevalent. Throughout the ride, you’ll hear how important the bovines are, since it’s all about the milk. Cows in the area produce a ¼ million gallons of milk each day, which is needed for the production of the candy. There are 50,000 cows that are needed to supply the three factories just located in Hershey. Another lesson learned is that the cocoa beans, from tropical locations around the world, are brought here, where they are cleaned, screened and blended. The numbers they share are astounding. More than 16 million kiss shaped products are produced each day. As you can guess, following the ride, you are treated to a piece of the world famous candy.

The Really Big 3D show was an excellent production that kept everyone entertained. The show is a great mix of entertainment and education and the 3D effects were some of the best we have seen. Along with a couple of fun musical numbers the audience is educated on how Milton S. Hershey had to try and try again to finally achieve the success he was able to enjoy.  The downtown Hershey Museum and the Chocolate Lab, where we were able to create our own chocolate tulips, were enjoyable admission based excursions. At the museum you learn a little more about his passion, which was his school-The Milton Hershey School. Here, at the museum, visitors will hear first hand testimonials from current and former students, on video, about the difference that this remarkable school has made in their lives. Visitors learn about the agricultural and environmental programs the school offers, as well as the experiential land-based learning that goes on at the school. Students, at the country’s largest pre-K-12 home and school, for boys and girls from families of low income and social need, produce and sell ice cream that is created with milk from the dairy cows they help care for and raise.

It was the trolley ride through Hershey, the town this candy maker created, that was the most touching piece of our visit. The tour guide was outstanding and really gave you a full and entertaining history of Milton Hershey and his wife Catherine’s generosity. As you pass the 110-acre Hershey Park, you learn that the park was initially created so Hershey workers could have a recreational area available to them. Now the park boasts of 60 rides and attractions and 10 world-class roller coasters and is a destination for people around the world. Go through the main area of Hershey and the presence of the company is evident with lampposts all having a huge kiss-like design on top and the factory still in operation. You can see in a distance the Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, that was founded in 1963, through a gift from the Milton S. Hershey Foundation. Milton Hershey’s birthplace is also seen while on the trolley. It is also where, in 1909, four orphaned boys, were taken in by Milton and his wife Catherine, who were not able to have children of their own, and educated as the first students of the Hershey Industrial School. Just a short time later Milton had a terrible loss when his wife passed away at the age of 42. At that time he gave $60 million dollars to ensure the continuation of the school.  Now more than 1,800 students attend for free. They are eligible for scholarship money, through this school, for college, following their graduation. Students’ admission to the Milton Hershey School includes housing, tuition, clothing, meals, assistance with medical and dental care and student activities. House parents live with the children on a beautiful campus. After Hurricane Katrina, 41 students from the damaged area were welcomed to the school to continue their education until they could go back home. More than 8,000 students have graduated since its inception.

During the tour, visitors disembark the trolley on the school’s campus and enter into the beautiful Founders Hall. The impressive rotunda of the hall is 74 feet high and is the second-largest rotunda in the world. The public is welcome to visit the school for free, see a film and learn more about the school and Hershey’s legacy, seven days a week from 10 a.m.-3 p.m., except during school holidays.

Next time you eat a Hershey Milk Chocolate Bar, flip it over. You’ll see a picture of Milton S. Hershey holding a child and read the following “Every Hershey’s product you have enjoyed has helped support children in need through Milton Hershey School.   I am sure you have guessed how the ride ends. When you exit the trolley, you  receive another piece of Hershey’s legacy–a full size Hershey bar.

Julie Cotnoir is a freelance writer from Connecticut. She writes regularly for The Hartford Courant and Cape Cod Life Magazine.

Tags: Hershey, Julie Cotnoir, Pennsylvania Tourism, World Footprints

Topics: Culinary Travel, Historical Travel, Hotels and Accommodations, Sports Tourism, Travel Tips, US Travel

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