The Man Behind The Chocolate

Everyone has heard of Hershey’s Chocolate. The company makes pretty much all of the candy adults and kids alike love. Milk Duds, Ice Breakers, Reeses, Kisses, the list is endless. Though everyone has heard of Hershey’s Chocolate not many people can name who created it, Milton Hershey.

Milton Hershey was born in 1857, at Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. His love for candy making began when he was apprenticed to a candy maker at the age of 15. Mr. Hershey opened his own candy shop in 1876 selling caramel. He later learned that mixing milk into the caramel would make it creamier and last longer. At first he did no do very well making caramel.

Milton Hershey did not give up. He made the Lancaster Caramel Company in 1886. Hershey’s caramels were a hit! He sold his company for $1,000,000 in 1900.

Mr. Hershey was not through with making candy. He started making chocolate. He experimented wit cocoa, sugar, and milk to make the perfect milk chocolate bar.

Milton Hershey created his new business in Derry Church. Though it is now know as Hershey, that is not the real name for the town. Along with the factory he built a town. Hershey built housing, a public school, and a community for his workers.

In 1909 when it was clear that Mr. Hershey and his wife, Catherine (Kitty), were not going to have any children, they founded the Hershey Industrial School. This was a home and school for orphaned boys. Today the school is called The Milton Hershey School; the school now has girls as well as boys. The school is for kids from 4-18 years of age. All of the money from Hershey goes to the school. That way none of the kids have to pay tuition.

Milton Hershey did not just create the world’s most famous chocolate, but he created a community.