Q: In what year was Milton Hershey born? Where is his place of birth?
A: September 13, 1857, on what is now Route 322 near Founder's Hall. The house is called the Homestead.
Q: When did Milton Hershey pass away? Where is he buried?
A: October 15, 1945. He is buried at the Hershey Cemetery on Route 743 with his wife and parents.
Q: What were the names of Milton's parents and sister?
A: Father: Henry Hershey (1828-1904), Mother: Veronica (Fanny) Hershey (1835-1920), Sister: Sarena (1862-1867)
Q: Where did Milton attend school up to second grade? Where is this school house located?
A: Derry Church Schoolhouse on Mansion Road near Highpoint (his future home)
Q: With whom did Milton Hershey get his first experience in the confectionery industry?
A: Joseph Roger
Q: Where and when did Milton Hershey establish his first candy making business?
A: 1876 in Philadelphia. Milton was 18 years old.
Q: Where were his other two attempts at the candy business?
A: 1883 in New York; 1882 in Denver
Q: Where was his first success and what was the business called?
A: Lancaster Caramel Company, 1886-1900
Q: Where did Milton meet his future wife, Catherine Sweeney Hershey, and describe their marriage?
A: They met in New York City. They were a very loving couple who travelled in Europe and the Middle East searching for a cure to Catherine's illness.
Q: Who was William Murrie, and what was his significance with the Hershey Company?
A: Hershey hired him in 1895 to sell the product to other confectioners. His first outside vendor sale was on April 17, 1895. From 1907-1947, he was president of the chocolate operation. Murrie oversaw the day-to-day operations of the chocolate plant, handled the sales, marketing, and logistics, and distribution. His nickname was the "Inventor's Implementer."
Q: What was Milton Hershey’s idea of “advertising”?
A: He focused on advertising the town as an ideal place to live and work. He realized he could lower his production cost per unit, which in turn would allow him to lower the cost of the product to the consumer. He also advertised in Confectioner’s journals and by “Bar Cards” inserted into Hershey products.
Q: Why did Milton Hershey sell his Crystal A Company and build a chocolate factory near his homestead?
A: His early success with caramel-chocolate based chocolates was in 1899, when he began to perfected his own milk chocolates, and in order for greater demand, he needed a bigger factory.
Q: Describe Milton Hershey’s unique idea for a model community?
A: He thought along the lines of plans of modern manufacture communities, especially patterned after those in England. From the revenues of the cocolate factory as well as his sale of Crystal A, he built for his workers. He became an innovative urban planner as well as a successful confectioner entrepreneur. Emlen Urban was responsible for the physical appearance of the town and was the most prominent architecture at the turn of the century. He designed all buildings from 1903-1924, including the original chocolate factory building, and Highpoint Mansion, Community Building, and Theatre designed in 1915 but not built until the early 1930s.
Q: When was the Hershey Kiss created and what were its earlier variations?
A: Hershey Kisses started production in 1907. The first kisses were individually wrapped in plain square foils. In 1921, mechanical wrapping was introduced and that technology allowed Hershey to create his trademark “plume” or “flag” to his product.
Q: What was Milton Hershey’s first conically-shaped confection?
A: It was a vanilla sweet chocolate produced called "Sweethearts" manufactured between 1900 and 1918. Between 1918-1929, he made a second conical product called "Silverpoints," which was made with milk chocolate paste containing more milk than the standard Hershey’s chocolate. Between 1909 and 1913, he made individually wrapped cone-shaped chocolates called "Silvertops." Between 1942 and 1949, such chocolates were not produced because of the rationing of foil.
Q: What was the importance of Cuba in the history of the Hershey Company?
A: With the outbreak of World War I in Europe in 1914, sugar became scarce. Manufacturing chocolate at this time was from beet sugar. In 1915, Hershey acquired 60,000 acres in a town called Central Hershey, Cuba, with a planned community and sugar processing facilities. In 1946, the Hershey Sugar and Railroad interest in Cuba were sold back to Cuban owners.
Q: How did Hershey became an example of a model town?
A: During the Depression, Hershey constructed numerous facilities to meet the wide range of recreational, cultural, and educational needs. The physical appearance was the work of one man, Emlen Urban. He designed all of Hershey Buildings between 1903 and 1924, including the Community Building and Theatre in 1932 and the Hotel Hershey in 1933, which reflects the finest of Spanish Mediterranean traditions.
Q: How did the sugar contracts of 1902 almost make Milton Hershey lose his company?
A: Milton Hershey bought millions of dollars worth of future contracts to purchase substantial amounts of sugar. The sugar industry plummeted and an extra tariff on imports increased the cost from Cuba. The National City Bank of New York supervised the company. After increased sales in 1924, the company returned to Milton Hershey.
Q: How did the Hershey Company expand after Staples' tenure and the decades beyond?
A: New executives brought fresh ideas of grander manufacturing capacity and a more diversified product line. The Hershey Company also recognized the need for more professional marketing and sales talent.
Q: With the new talent at Hershey, how did advertising philosophy change?
A: On February 19, 1968, the Hershey Chocolate Corporation changed its name to Hershey Foods and adopted a new corporate logo to replace the “Baby-in-the-Bean” trademark which was in existence since 1989. With a new advertising campaign started in September 1970, Hershey Kisses and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups grew significantly in prominence.
References
Milton S. Hershey
Pamphlets
A Chat with Mr. Hershey, Joseph R. Snavely, Hershey Press, 1932. Joseph Snavely talks with his cousin.
Meet Mr. Hershey, Joseph Snavely, Hershey Press, 1939. A continuation of Joseph Snavely's interview with Milton Hershey and the town he built.
M.S. Hershey Lives On, Joseph Snavely, Hershey Press, 1947. Same as above with a memoriam to Milton Hershey, October 13, 1945.
Books
Milton S. Hershey, Builder, Joseph Snavely, Hershey Press, 1934. A short biography of Milton Hershey and the early buildings of his Chocolate Utopia. Only 500 copies printed.
The Hershey Story, Joseph Snavely, 1950. The first full-lenth biography.
An Intimate Story of M.S. Hershey, Joseph Snavely, 1957. Mr. Snavely's final book on Milton S. Hershey.
Milton S. Hershey, Katherine Shippen and Paul Wallace, 1959. A biography written for middle school students.
One of a Kind: Milton S. Hershey, 1857-1945, Charles Schuyler Castner, 1983. An oversized biography on the "Chocolate King" with beautiful color pictures of Milton Hershey and his town.
Hershey: Milton S. Hershey's Extraordinary Life of Wealth, Empire, and Utopian Dreams, Michael D'Antonio, 2006. The first nation-wide biography on MIlton Hershey, placing him in the 19th and 20th century business world.
Chocolate History
Chocolate Chronicles, Ray Broekel, 1985. Includes the author's collection of candy wrappers and the history behind them.
Chocolate: An Illustrated History, Marcia Morton, 1986. The story of chocolate consisting of the growing of beans, cocoa manufacturing, and chocolate companies.
Chocolate: The Sweet History, Beth Kimmerle, 2005. An illustrated story of chocolate companies, including recipes.
Chocolate: A Bittersweet Saga of Dark and Light, Mort Rosenblum, 2005. An interesting book on chocolate history, European chocolates, and the author's trip to Hershey.
Local History
Emperors of Chocolate: Inside the Secret World of Hershey and Mars, Joel Glenn Brenner, 1999. A fascinating book of two chocolate manufacturing giants in America.
Built on Chocolate: The Story of Hershey Chocolate Company, James D. McMahon, 1998. Based on the collection at the Hershey Museum, this book tells the story from Crystal A to the Hershey Company.
Images of America: Hershey, Mary Houts and Pam Whitenack, 2000. Full of early pictures and information on the town of Hershey.
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