A Short Biography About Milton Hershey
http://www.800hershey.com/history/milton_history.html
Where would we be without the most fantastic candy in the world? He's got a town, school and a chocolate company named after him. Yes I'm talking about Milton S. Hershey, the chocolate maker.
Milton Hershey was born September 13, 1857, the only surviving child of Fannie and Henry Hershey. His father wanted to be an inventor but was never successful, however he kept trying. This put his family in major debt, so they moved very often. Because of this "Milton has a very limited education. He only completed fourth grade."
In his early years he tried to start three different candy businesses one in Philadelphia, one in Chicago and another in New York these all failed with no success. Until 1883 when he returned to Lancaster, PA where he established a caramel company with great success.
At the World's Colombian Exposition in 1893 is where he bought German chocolate making machine and began making a variety of chocolate creations. In 1900 he sold the Lancaster Caramel Company for one million dollars. Later on Milton moved back to Derry Church (where he was raised) to build another factory where he could make the best milk chocolate ever for there was enough milk for it. In 1903 he had started to build the world's largest chocolate manufacturing plant. It was finally completed in 1905; this plant manufactured chocolate using the newest mass production techniques.
His real desire was to build a town around his factory. Milton wanted " a real home town" with nice houses; tree- lined streets and manicured lawns. In April 24, 1907 he opened a park and over the next several years he added amusement rides, a swimming pool and a ballroom. This made the town a major tourist attraction.
In 1909 Milton and his wife, Catherine started a school, today known as the Milton S. Hershey School. Unfortunately in 1915 Catherine Hershey died, 3 years later Milton gave his fortune to Hershey Chocolate Company.
In 1935 he started M.S. Hershey Foundation which was a charitable foundation. This helps support: Hershey museum, Hershey theatre and community archives.
Mr. Hershey died in 1945 at the age of Eighty-eight. He still lives on through his school, town and chocolate/ pasta companies. Yes Milton Hershey was one of the great Entrepreneurs of this millennium.
