Inside Hershey

Hershey's New Indoor Tropical Butterfly Atrium Now Open

 
 

After 14 months of construction, the Milton & Catherine Hershey Conservatory at Hershey Gardens is conducting a "soft opening" this week in advance of its official July 1 opening date. The highlight of the 16,000 sq ft conservatory is the much-anticipated Butterfly Atrium, which will feature an ever-changing array of hundreds of butterflies year-round. The Butterfly Atrium's hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. from Memorial Day to Labor Day and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. during the winter months. The Atrium is included with admission to Hershey Gardens, which will increase to $12.50 ($11.50 for seniors 62+ and $9.00 for kids ages 3-12; children under 3 are free). The price of a family membership is expected to rise slightly as well.

The Conservatory adds significantly to the 79-year-old Hershey Gardens, a 23-acre botanical garden that got its start from Milton Hershey's request to "create a nice garden of roses." An educational wing will improve the Gardens' mission to provide educational and cultural enrichment—in 2015, more than 4,000 students attended educational field trips and classes at the Gardens and that number is expected to increase as the Gardens will be open for more of the traditional school year.

Another change: a new lower parking lot with wide paths that are easier to navigate with walkers, wheelchairs and strollers. The Conservatory now serves as the main entrance to Hershey Gardens and guests entering the large front doors walk into a welcome pavilion with a soaring glass ceiling some 37 feet from the ground. Several palm trees and 65 stained glass butterflies crafted by local artist Luise Christensen-Howell look right at home in the Welcoming Pavilion. Ticketing has also moved to the Conservatory, along with the gift shop (with some nice new butterfly-themed merchandise.)

 

The Butterfly Atrium itself is one of only 25 year-round tropical butterfly atriums in the United States and will feature hundreds of butterflies in an ever-changing variety (50-60 species at a time will be on view), including some tropical butterflies never before seen in Central PA. The Atrium is kept at a constant temperature of 80F with 70% humidity, an optimal atmosphere for the winged residents.

A large chrysalis cabinet allows visitors to watch as butterflies emerge from their chrysalids—if you've seen the chrysalid cabinet at the Gardens' seasonal butterfly house in the Childrens' Garden, you'll appreciate the much better view the new larger cabinet in the Conservatory provides. The 2500-square-foot atrium includes a landscape of tropical plants, including (of course) a cacao tree. Plants were specially chosen to host the wide variety of butterflies and include nectar-bearing plants and flowering vines. A wall of foliage provides a backdrop to a stunning sculptural banana leaf-shaped water feature designed by Lebanon County artist Shane Morgan. 

 

The Educational & Horticultural wing of the Conservatory balances the Butterfly Atrium and provides a 12-month opportunity for education. The wing is easily converted to a grand meeting space and will make a spectacular reception area for winter weddings. Planters with casters allow the greenery to be moved and reconfigured easily.

Architecturally, the Conservatory complements the design of the Hotel Hershey. The design draws inspiration from a conservatory built in 1909 at High Point, the home of Milton and Catherine Hershey. The Hersheys built glass conservatories as a way to display plants during the winter; their conservatories began to draw visitors anxious to escape the cold winter weather amid a greenhouse filled with tropical foliage.

The Hershey Gardens is a non-profit entity operated by The M.S. Hershey Foundation. For more information about the Gardens and the special events it frequently sponsors, visit the Hershey Gardens website.

 

 

 

 

Hershey's Water Works: Fun for the Entire Family!

On Thursday, May 26, the Hershey Lodge will officially open Hershey's Water Works, its all-new 30,000 sq ft complex, which includes an indoor waterpark, arcade, activity room and fitness center. A new dining location, Cocoa Cabana, is adjacent to the aquatic center and includes a full bar and wait service. With features like a zero-entry pool and splash pad for the littlest guests, a fun-filled arcade and Hershey's-themed water activities for teens as well as an oversized whirlpool for adults, this addition will be fun for every member of the family!

The 20,000-square foot Aquatic Center features:

• Two Pools with a minimum depth of 0.0 feet and a maximum depth of 5 feet;
• Two Twizzlers Twists Slides, each 24' high and 202' long;
• The Reese's Water Walk;
• A Water Play Structure; 
• And an Outdoor Splash Pad with Lounge Chair Seating.

 

 

Cocoa Cabana is located adjacent to the pool area and includes window service and wait service with comfortable seating. Adult beverages are available to those 21- and older, and plenty of beauty-keen snacks and entrees add to the fun.

 

 

The Arcade features a themed air hockey table, Skeeball and several interactive arcade games. No coins or tokens to worry about here—the arcade features swipe cards that can be easily reloaded for extra fun. A large window allows parents to monitor kids in the arcade and the pool area from the poolside seating/dining area.

 

The new Activity Room is a wonderful mix of board games, LEGOs and tabletop activities, and features colorful themed tables and soft benches.

 

 

The Fitness Room is spacious and features up-to-date equipment from treadmills and bikes to weight equipment and exercise balls.

 

Tying the new complex together are bright, sophisticated graphics and architectural details that make sure guests don't forget they're in the Sweetest Place on Earth!

Hershey's Water Works will be open to overnight guests of the Hershey Lodge only.

100 Sweet Facts about Hershey and Milton S. Hershey

Mr. Hershey’s Background

• Milton S. Hershey was born in Derry Township (today better known as Hershey) on September 13, 1857. He died on October 13, 1945 at the age of 88.
• His parents were Henry and Fanny Hershey.
• Henry was a farmer and a bit of an inventor, but he never had much success.
• Milton’s middle name was Snavely, his mother’s maiden name.
• He left school at the age of 14 to start an apprenticeship.
• After a failed printing apprenticeship, Milton became an apprentice to a candymaker in Lancaster named Joseph Royer. He learned a great deal from Royer before deciding to set out on his own as a candymaker.

Mr. Hershey’s Early Business Ventures

• Mr. Hershey opened his first candy business at the age of 18. This was in Philadelphia, the focal point of the country’s centennial celebration.
• He went bankrupt twice—in Philadelphia in 1882 and in New York City in 1886.
• He also explored business opportunities in Denver, Chicago and New Orleans, but found nothing satisfactory.
• While he was in Denver, he learned the art of adding fresh milk to caramels to make them creamier and chewier.
• He returned to Lancaster in 1886 and opened the Lancaster Caramel Company.
• He relied on a former employee, William “Lebbie” Lebkicher (who became a trusted friend and advisor), and his Aunt Mattie to give him enough money to buy the necessary supplies.
• The caramel that made him famous was called the “Crystal A” caramel.
• He bought his first chocolate-making equipment from a German company, the J.M. Lehmann Company, in 1893. He saw the equipment at work at the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago. He was so fascinated by it that he purchased two of the actual pieces of machinery he saw on display at the exposition, and then bought additional equipment directly from the company’s New York office.
• He established the Hershey Chocolate Company in 1894 as a subsidiary of the caramel company.
• He became the first person in the United States to mass-produce milk chocolate. In late 1900,he introduced the world to his milk chocolate products.
• On August 10, 1900, he sold his caramel company for $1 million and relinquished the Lancaster factory, the caramel recipes and the “Crystal A” trademark.
• He kept the right to make chocolate and all of his chocolate-making equipment, though, and rented a wing of the caramel factory to continue that venture.

The Famous Chocolate Factory

• Mr. Hershey returned to his birthplace to build what would become the largest chocolate factory in the world. He settled in Derry Township because he needed cows for fresh milk, hard-working people and a source of water.
• Construction on the factory began on March 2, 1903 and ended in 1905.
• The original factory grew to occupy 2.2 million square feet. When it was first constructed, the factory covered six acres. Today, most of the original factory has been demolished, although part of it has been renovated and serves as offices for The Hershey Company.
• The bushes outside the original factory that spell out “Hershey Cocoa” are red barberry bushes.
• There are two chocolate factories in town: the original, a new one on the west side of town (built in 1990) and the Reese’s plant on Chocolate Avenue (built in 1957).

And Speaking of Reese’s...

• Harry Burnett Reese, founder of the H.B. Reese Candy Company, was once an employee of the Hershey Chocolate Company. He decided he could make a living by making his own candy.
• In 1923 he began making that candy in his basement at night. Peanut butter cups became part of his assortment in 1928. In 1942, due to war rationing, Reese eliminated everything except for peanut butter cups from his product line.
• Reese got his chocolate from the Hershey Chocolate Company and always enjoyed a good relationship with the company. All of his peanut butter cups bore the banner, “Made in Chocolate Town—So They Must Be Good.”
• Reese died in 1956 and was succeeded by his six sons. In 1963 they sold the company to Hershey Chocolate Corporation.
• Today The Hershey Company continues to produce Reese’s peanut butter cups, which have become its most popular candy.

The Town of Hershey

• It was important to Mr. Hershey to create a community where his employees could be self-reliant and own their own homes.
• In creating “his” company town, Mr. Hershey made provisions for recreation (he provided a park and community center), religion (he donated $20,000 to five congregations), and financial independence (he established the town’s bank).
• The official name of the community is Derry Township. It has never been officially incorporated as Hershey.
• In the early 1900s, the town held a contest to determine the name the U.S. Postal Service would use. The winning entry was “Hersheykoko,” which got shortened to just “Hershey.” That’s the name the Postal Service has acknowledged since 1906.
• About 22,000 people use the services of Derry Township, but only about 9,000 people live in the town itself. The town is 26 square miles.

Those Kiss-Shaped Streetlights

• The lights line Chocolate Avenue, and can also be seen at a few other locations around town. There are 107 Kiss-shaped streetlights on Chocolate Avenue: 55 wrapped and 52 unwrapped.
• In addition, there are eight lights on Park Avenue between Chocolate Avenue and the railroad bridge, plus a few at the entrance to the West Hershey Plant and at the entrances of each of the company’s factories outside the town of Hershey.
• The lights were installed in 1963.
• They were installed under the direction of then-Hershey Chocolate Corporation President Samuel Hinkle and were nicknamed “Hinkle’s Twinkles.”

The Cuban Connection

• Mr. Hershey owned sugar plantations and mills in Cuba from 1916 until 1946. 
• When they were sold in 1946, the operations included 60,000 acres of land, five raw sugar mills, a peanut oil plant,a henequen plant, four electric plants, and 251 miles of railroad track with sufficient locomotives and cars.
• His flagship sugar mill was located at “Central Hershey” in Cuba. The town that was created to support the mill was developed as a model town and featured many of the same types of services that Mr. Hershey had established in “his” town in Pennsylvania.
• Profits from the sugar business in Cuba helped sustain the Pennsylvania town during the Great Depression. It was with this money that Mr. Hershey was able to embark on his “Great Building Campaign.
• The Chocolate Spa at the Hotel Hershey features Cuban treatments in honor of this part of Mr. Hershey’s story.

Who Was Mrs. Hershey?

• Catherine Sweeney, whose nickname was “Kitty,” hailed from Jamestown, New York.
• Mr. Hershey met her while he was making a sales call at a candy store in New York.
• They were married in the rectory of St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York in 1898.
• Kitty had a progressive neurological disease that was never fully diagnosed. She died in 1915 at the age of 42.
• The Hersheys had only been married for 17 years and did not have any children. Mr. Hershey never remarried.

The Milton Hershey School

• Mr. Hershey left almost his entire fortune to fund the Milton Hershey School.
• Founded by the Hersheys in 1909 as a home and school for orphan boys, the school today serves both boys and girls from more than 30 states, with 70 percent of the students coming from Pennsylvania.
• The school’s guiding legal document, the Deed of Trust, gives priority to children from its home county, Dauphin, and neighboring Lebanon and Lancaster counties, then to children from Pennsylvania. After the priority regions, the school then considers students from across the country. The school currently serves nearly 2000 boys and girls in grades pre-kindergarten through 12. The School has more than 9,500 graduates who are productive citizens in cities and towns across the country.
• Meals, clothing, medical care, dental care and educational supplies are provided free of charge to enrolled students.
• Underclassmen live in family-like environment with a married couple—called “houseparents”—and other children their age in more than 170 student homes.
• Approximately 90 percent of the school’s graduates pursue post-high school education and take advantage of the school’s generous continuing education scholarship to do so.
• Before 1951, the School was known as the Hershey Industrial School.
• The school’s campus extends over 10,000 acres.
• Founders Hall features the second largest unsupported dome in the world. The largest is St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.

High Point

• The home the Hersheys built in town overlooks the original chocolate factory.
• High Point features 22 rooms and was constructed for just $53,433. It’s less ornate than some of the homes Mr. Hershey’s executives built for themselves.
• After Kitty died, Mr. Hershey moved into a suite of rooms on the second floor of the house and allowed the Country Club he created to use the remainder of the mansion as its clubhouse.
• Today, High Point is home to the Hershey Trust Company.

Hersheypark

• Mr. Hershey founded the park as a picnic and pleasure grounds, but it has evolved into a world-class theme park.
• The oldest ride in the park is the Carrousel, which was built in 1919 and installed in Hershey in 1944.
• The Comet was built in 1946 and remains in its original location. It’s the park’s oldest roller coaster.
• Hersheypark is home to 13 roller coasters, more than can be found at any other park in Pennsylvania.
• Hersheypark is not only open for the summer season, it also opens for Springtime in the Park, Hersheypark in the Dark and Hersheypark Christmas Candylane.

ZooAmerica

• The year 2010 marked the 100th anniversary of a zoo in Hershey.
• The first zookeeper was Franz Zinner, the man who first approached Mr. Hershey about starting a zoo when he learned that the entrepreneur was building a park.
• Hershey Zoo started with a colony of prairie dogs and a bear cub. ZooAmerica continues to be home to both of those species.
• The Zoo is home to more than 200 animals from North America. They represent 75 species and live on 11 acres.

Hershey’s Chocolate World

• This facility is America’s most-visited corporate visitors center. Each year, more than 3 million people take the free chocolate-making tour here to learn how chocolate goes from bean to bar.
• The facility opened in 1973. Since then, more than 75 million visitors have passed through its doors.
• Chocolate World is home to the world’s largest selection of Hershey’s products found anywhere.
• Chocolate World now offers several family-friendly attractions, including a Make Your Own Chocolate Bar experience, a 4D Chocolate Mystery, the Hershey Trolley Works and more!

The Hotel Hershey

• During the Great Depression, Mr. Hershey embarked on his “Great Building Campaign” in order to keep townspeople employed. It’s said that more than 600 people worked together to build the Hotel.
• The Hotel’s architect, D. Paul Witmer, received specific direction from Mr. Hershey about how to build the Hotel based on his own travel experiences and preferences.
• Mr. Hershey is reported to have said that if people dined alone or didn’t tip well, they were put in a corner. He didn’t want any corners in his restaurant; hence, the Hotel’s famed Circular restaurant is literally shaped like a circle.
• The Hotel, which was constructed for about $2 million, celebrated its grand opening on May 26, 1933.

The Spa At The Hotel Hershey

• The design is based on that of High Point, the Hersheys’ home.
• The Spa opened in 2001; it expanded in 2004, nearly doubling in size from 17,000 square feet to 30,000.
• There are now 53 treatment rooms.
• The Spa is home to the signature Whipped Cocoa Bath, a rarity in that it’s a patented spa treatment.

Hershey Lodge

• The Lodge is the largest private convention facility in Pennsylvania. 
• The Lodge has hosted two bi-partisan Congressional retreats, in 1997 and 1999.
• A new water attraction will open at the Lodge in May 2016. Hershey Water Works will feature 30,000 square feet of Hershey-themed water features and a zero entry pool.
• The Lodge will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2017.

Hershey Country Club

• Ben Hogan was the golf professional at Hershey Country Club from 1941 to 1951.
• Henry Picard, who personally selected Hogan as his replacement, was the golf pro from 1934 to 1941. Both are members of the World Golf Hall of Fame.
• The fifth hole of the famed West Course features an incredible view of High Point.

Hershey Gardens

• The Gardens opened in 1937 and stretch over 23 acres.
• There are 275 varieties of roses here on 7,000 bushes.
• Kitty’s rose garden from High Point was moved here.
• The Gardens added a 16,000 square foot Conservatory in July 2016. The Milton & Catherine Hershey Conservatory includes a year-round Butterfly Atrium, a Welcome Center and a Horticultural & Educational Wing.

The Hershey Story Museum

• The Hershey Story Museum opened in 2009 and took the place of the small museum adjacent to Hersheypark Arena.
• The Hershey Story, located on Chocolate Avenue, is a comprehensive museum about the life of Milton S. Hershey and the town that bears his name.
• In addition to typical museum exhibits, the Hershey Story offers hands-on experiences, chocolate tasting and a Chocolate Lab where visitors make their own chocolate creations.

Hershey Theatre

• The Theatre was also constructed as part of Mr. Hershey’s “Great Building Campaign.”
• It features 1,904 seats.
• The Theatre’s fire curtain features a scene of Venice, with its Grand Canal slowly flowing past Doge’s Palace.
• Behind the French doors of the Theatre’s front balconies are concealed the more than 4,715 pipes and 25 bells of the historic Aeolian-Skinner organ.

Hershey Bears

• The Bears are the oldest continually operating franchise in the American Hockey League.
• The Bears were the 2009 and 2010 Calder Cup champions.
• The Bears have won 11 Calder Cup championships, more than any other team in the league.
• The Bears were originally called the “B’ars,” but they added the “E” when the original name was criticized for being too blatantly commercial.  

Hersheypark Arena

• Constructed in 1936, the 7,225-seat arena was home to the Hershey Bears until the GIANT Center was built in 2002. The historic Arena still stands and hosts many events throughout the year.
• Dwight D. Eisenhower celebrated his 63rd birthday with a birthday party held at Hersheypark Arena on October 13, 1953.
• Wilt Chamberlain scored a record 100 points in a single basketball game at Hersheypark Arena on March 2, 1962.

100 Sweet Facts About Hershey | Milton S. Hershey

This post has been updated! 100 Sweet Facts About Hershey 2016

 

Mr. Hershey’s Background

• Milton S. Hershey was born in Derry Township (today better known as Hershey) on September 13, 1857. He died on October 13, 1945 at the age of 88.
• His parents were Henry and Fanny Hershey.
• Henry was a farmer and a bit of an inventor, but he never had much success.
• Milton’s middle name was Snavely, his mother’s maiden name.
• He left school at the age of 14 to start an apprenticeship.
• After a failed printing apprenticeship, Milton became an apprentice to a candymaker in Lancaster named Joseph Royer. He learned a great deal from Royer before deciding to set out on his own as a candymaker.

Mr. Hershey’s Early Business Ventures

• Mr. Hershey opened his first candy business at the age of 18. This was in Philadelphia, the focal point of the country’s centennial celebration.
• He went bankrupt twice—in Philadelphia in 1882 and in New York City in 1886.
• He also explored business opportunities in Denver, Chicago and New Orleans, but found nothing satisfactory.
• While he was in Denver, he learned the art of adding fresh milk to caramels to make them creamier and chewier.
• He returned to Lancaster in 1886 and opened the Lancaster Caramel Company.
• He relied on a former employee, William “Lebbie” Lebkicher (who became a trusted friend and advisor), and his Aunt Mattie to give him enough money to buy the necessary supplies.
• The caramel that made him famous was called the “Crystal A” caramel.
• He bought his first chocolate-making equipment from a German company, the J.M. Lehmann Company, in 1893. He saw the equipment at work at the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago. He was so fascinated by it that he purchased two of the actual pieces of machinery he saw on display at the exposition, and then bought additional equipment directly from the company’s New York office.
• He established the Hershey Chocolate Company in 1894 as a subsidiary of the caramel company.
• He became the first person in the United States to mass-produce milk chocolate. In late 1900,he introduced the world to his milk chocolate products.
• On August 10, 1900, he sold his caramel company for $1 million and relinquished the Lancaster factory, the caramel recipes and the “Crystal A” trademark.
• He kept the right to make chocolate and all of his chocolate-making equipment, though, and rented a wing of the caramel factory to continue that venture.

The Famous Chocolate Factory

• Mr. Hershey returned to his birthplace to build what would become the largest chocolate factory in the world. He settled in Derry Township because he needed cows for fresh milk, hard-working people and a source of water.
• Construction on the factory began on March 2, 1903 and ended in 1905.
• The original factory has grown to occupy 2.2 million square feet today. When it was first constructed, the factory covered six acres.
• The bushes outside the original factory that spell out “Hershey Cocoa” are red barberry bushes.
• There are three chocolate factories in town: the original, a new one on the west side of town (built in 1990) and the Reese’s plant on Chocolate Avenue (built in 1957).

And Speaking of Reese’s...

• Harry Burnett Reese, founder of the H.B. Reese Candy Company, was once an employee of the Hershey Chocolate Company. He decided he could make a living by making his own candy.
• In 1923 he began making that candy in his basement at night. Peanut butter cups became part of his assortment in 1928. In 1942, due to war rationing, Reese eliminated everything except for peanut butter cups from his product line.
• Reese got his chocolate from the Hershey Chocolate Company and always enjoyed a good relationship with the company. All of his peanut butter cups bore the banner, “Made in Chocolate Town—So They Must Be Good.”
• Reese died in 1956 and was succeeded by his six sons. In 1963 they sold the company to Hershey Chocolate Corporation.
• Today The Hershey Company continues to produce Reese’s peanut butter cups, which have become its most popular candy.

The Town of Hershey

• It was important to Mr. Hershey to create a community where his employees could be self-reliant and own their own homes.
• In creating “his” company town, Mr. Hershey made provisions for recreation (he provided a park and community center), religion (he donated $20,000 to five congregations), and financial independence (he established the town’s bank).
• The official name of the community is Derry Township. It has never been officially incorporated as Hershey.
• In the early 1900s, the town held a contest to determine the name the U.S. Postal Service would use. The winning entry was “Hersheykoko,” which got shortened to just “Hershey.” That’s the name the Postal Service has acknowledged since 1906.
• About 22,000 people use the services of Derry Township, but only about 9,000 people live in the town itself. The town is 26 square miles.

Those Kiss-Shaped Streetlights

• The lights line Chocolate Avenue. There are 107 total—55 wrapped and 52 unwrapped.
• In addition, there are eight lights on Park Avenue between Chocolate Avenue and the railroad bridge, plus a few at the entrance to the West Hershey Plant and at the entrances of each of the company’s factories outside the town of Hershey.
• The lights were installed in 1963.
• They were installed under the direction of then-Hershey Chocolate Corporation President Samuel Hinkle and were nicknamed “Hinkle’s Twinkles.”

The Cuban Connection

• Mr. Hershey owned sugar plantations and mills in Cuba from 1916 until 1946.
• When they were sold in 1946, the operations included 60,000 acres of land, five raw sugar mills, a peanut oil plant,a henequen plant, four electric plants, and 251 miles of railroad track with sufficient locomotives and cars.
• His flagship sugar mill was located at “Central Hershey” in Cuba. The town that was created to support the mill was developed as a model town and featured many of the same types of services that Mr. Hershey had established in “his” town in Pennsylvania.
• Profits from the sugar business in Cuba helped sustain the Pennsylvania town during the Great Depression. It was with this money that Mr. Hershey was able to embark on his “Great Building Campaign.
• The Chocolate Spa at the Hotel Hershey features Cuban treatments in honor of this part of Mr. Hershey’s story.

Who Was Mrs. Hershey?

• Catherine Sweeney, whose nickname was “Kitty,” hailed from Jamestown, New York.
• Mr. Hershey met her while he was making a sales call at a candy store in New York.
• They were married in the rectory of St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York in 1898.
• Kitty had a progressive neurological disease that was never fully diagnosed. She died in 1915 at the age of 42.
• The Hersheys had only been married for 17 years and did not have any children. Mr. Hershey never remarried.

The Milton Hershey School

• Mr. Hershey left almost his entire fortune to fund the Milton Hershey School.
• Founded by the Hersheys in 1909 as a home and school for orphan boys, the school today serves both boys and girls from more than 30 states, with 70 percent of the students coming from Pennsylvania.
• The school’s guiding legal document, the Deed of Trust, gives priority to children from its home county, Dauphin, and neighboring Lebanon and Lancaster counties, then to children from Pennsylvania. After the priority regions, the school then considers students from across the country. The school currently serves about 1,800 boys and girls in grades pre-kindergarten through 12. The School has more than 8,800 graduates who are productive citizens in cities and towns across the country.
• Meals, clothing, medical care, dental care and educational supplies are provided free of charge to enrolled students.
• Underclassmen live in family-like environment with a married couple—called “houseparents”—and other children their age in 143 student homes.
• Approximately 90 percent of the school’s graduates pursue post-high school education and take advantage of the school’s generous continuing education scholarship to do so.
• Before 1951, the School was known as the Hershey Industrial School.
• The school’s campus extends over 10,000 acres.
• Founders Hall features the second largest unsupported dome in the world. The largest is St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.

High Point

• The home the Hersheys built in town overlooks the original chocolate factory.
• High Point features 22 rooms and was constructed for just $53,433. It’s less ornate than some of the homes Mr. Hershey’s executives built for themselves.
• After Kitty died, Mr. Hershey moved into a suite of rooms on the second floor of the house and allowed the Country Club he created to use the remainder of the mansion as its clubhouse.
• Today High Point is home to the Hershey Trust Company.

Hersheypark

• Mr. Hershey founded the park as a picnic and pleasure grounds, but today it has evolved into a world-class theme park.
• The oldest ride in the park is the Carrousel, which was built in 1919 and installed in Hershey in 1944.
• The Comet was built in 1946 and remains in its original location. It’s the park’s oldest roller coaster.
• Hersheypark is home to 11 roller coasters, more than can be found at any other park in Pennsylvania.

ZooAmerica

• The year 2010 marks the 100th anniversary of a zoo in Hershey.
• The first zookeeper was Franz Zinner, the man who first approached Mr. Hershey about starting a zoo when he learned that the entrepreneur was building a park.
• Hershey Zoo started with a colony of prairie dogs and a bear cub. ZooAmerica continues to be home to both of those species.
• The Zoo is home to 200 animals from North America. They represent 75 species and live on 11 acres.

Hershey’s Chocolate World

• This facility is America’s most visited corporate visitors center. Each year, nearly 3 million people take the free chocolate-making tour here to learn how chocolate goes from bean to bar.
• The facility opened in 1973. Since then, more than 75 million visitors have passed through its doors.
• Chocolate World is home to the world’s largest selection of Hershey’s products found anywhere.

The Hotel Hershey

• During the Great Depression, Mr. Hershey embarked on his “Great Building Campaign” in order to keep townspeople employed. It’s said that more than 600 people worked together to build the Hotel.
• The Hotel’s architect, D. Paul Witmer, received specific direction from Mr. Hershey about how to build the Hotel based on his own travel experiences and preferences.
• Mr. Hershey is reported to have said that if people dined alone or didn’t tip well, they were put in a corner. He didn’t want any corners in his restaurant; hence, the Hotel’s famed Circular Dining Room is literally shaped like a circle.
• The Hotel, which was constructed for about $2 million, celebrated its grand opening on May 26, 1933.

The Spa At The Hotel Hershey

• The design is based on that of High Point, the Hersheys’ home.
• The Spa opened in 2001; it expanded in 2004, nearly doubling in size from 17,000 square feet to 30,000.
• There are now 53 treatment rooms.
• The Spa is home to the signature Whipped Cocoa Bath, a rarity in that it’s a patented spa treatment.

Hershey Lodge

• The Lodge is the largest private convention facility in Pennsylvania.
• The Lodge has hosted two bi-partisan Congressional retreats, in 1997 and 1999.
• The Lodge celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2007.

Hershey Country Club

• Ben Hogan was the golf professional at Hershey Country Club from 1941 to 1951.
• Henry Picard, who personally selected Hogan as his replacement, was the golf pro from 1934 to 1941. Both are members of the World Golf Hall of Fame.
• The fifth hole of the famed West Course features an incredible view of High Point.

Hershey Gardens

• The Gardens opened in 1937 and stretch over 23 acres.
• There are 275 varieties of roses here on 7,000 bushes.
• Kitty’s rose garden from High Point was moved here.

Hershey Theatre

• The Theatre was also constructed as part of Mr. Hershey’s “Great Building Campaign.”
• It features 1,904 seats.
• The Theatre’s fire curtain features a scene of Venice, with its Grand Canal slowly flowing past Doge’s Palace.
• Behind the French doors of the Theatre’s front balconies are concealed the more than 4,715 pipes and 25 bells of the historic Aeolian-Skinner organ.

Hershey Bears

• The Bears are the oldest continually operating franchise in the American Hockey League.
• The Bears were the 2009 and 2010 Calder Cup champions.
• The Bears have won 11 Calder Cup championships, more than any other team in the league.
• The Bears were originally called the “B’ars,” but they added the “E” when they were criticized for being too blatantly commercial.  

Hersheypark Arena

• Dwight D. Eisenhower celebrated his 63rd birthday with a birthday party held at Hersheypark Arena on October 13, 1953.
• Wilt Chamberlain scored a record 100 points in a single basketball game at Hersheypark Arena on March 2, 1962.

The Best Ice Cream in Hershey?

There are several fantastic ice cream shops in and around Hershey: there's a newly-renovated Dairy Queen on East Chocolate Avenue; Philip Arthur's Ice Cream near Chocolatetown Square; and Mazzoli's, just west of where Cocoa Ave. crosses Governor Rd. Mazzoli's even makes its own ice cream, which is uniformly excellent.

But there's another wonderful ice cream outlet that's less well known — the Cloverdale Ice Cream Center at the Milton Hershey School. This gem is only open on weekdays from 12:00 noon to 3:30 p.m., and only for the summer. So you have until mid-August to try some MHS Spartan ice cream.

Students from the Milton Hershey School run the stand, manning the scoops and the cash register. Cones are available for $1.00, and half-gallons can be carried home (or to your hotel room!) for $3.99. We recommend the Honey Vanilla (so smooth and creamy!) and the Chocolate Palm Tree (vanilla with chocolate chips and coconut).

To find the Cloverdale Ice Cream Center, travel east on 322 to Meadow Lane. Turn right — toward Founder's Hall — at the stoplight. Take the second left into the Cloverdale Barn driveway. You'll see the ice cream center on the left; there's ample parking, and a beautifully landscaped picnic area.

And don't forget: you have only a few more weeks to sample Spartan Ice Cream. Don't delay!

Segway Tours at Hotel Hershey

Don't be surprised if you see groups of yellow-helmeted Segway riders around the Hotel Hershey — it's a new way to tour the hotel grounds!

Marc and Moire Brandt of York own the business, which takes guests around the Hotel Hershey's 280-acre property for 90-minute tours (after a one-hour training session on the Segway). The cost is $90 per person, and tours are offered daily at 9:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.

See Segway Tours of Hershey for more information.

More on the Hotel Hershey's Grand Expansion

One month after the official opening of the Hotel Hershey renovations and new construction (officially titled "The Grand Expansion"), we're still getting used to all the changes. It's almost like an entirely new property on Pat's Hill!

The finishing touches have been put on the hotel's new entrance, which includes new signage, a new access road, new parking lots, and an expanded porte-cochere.

A sparkling new lobby now leads to new boutique shops:

The Jeweler (open now)
Featuring exclusive jewelry, watches and gifts, including Le Vian® Chocolate Diamonds™, Roberto Coin, Tissot, and Monica Rich Kosann.

Shine Swimwear (open now)
Featuring designer sunglasses, cover-ups, and luxurious straw totes and hats, as well as "Hot Chocolate!," the hotel's signature swimsuit collection

Cocoa Beanery (open now)
Offering specialty coffee by the fireplace, as well as snacks, espresso, gourmet teas, Hershey’s Hot Chocolate, freshly baked pastries, and delicious chocolate desserts.

Signatures (open now)
Showcasing signature apparel and gifts available only at The Hotel Hershey, Signatures offers select logo apparel for men and women, and a special line of kids' clothing featuring swimwear, hats, t-shirts, and more.

Holidays (scheduled to open in September)
Each year from September to December, Shine Swimwear by The Hotel Hershey will transform into Holidays, a store containing limited edition and one-of-a-kind holiday furnishings, Christmas wreathes, richly detailed nutcrackers, holiday angels, Santas, candles, traditional Christmas art, and hand-crafted ornaments by Christopher Radko.

The Spa Boutique (scheduled to open in November)
Offering elegant yoga-wear, relaxation tapes, motivational books, aromatherapy candles, scented eye pillows, lovely sleepwear and the spa's signature lotion and potion favorites.

Sweets (scheduled to open in November)
Choose your favorite mouth-watering cupcake or design your own cupcake at this new bakery. Sweets also features a variety of delectable Hershey's chocolate.

A Storied Home (scheduled to open in December)
Shop here for elegant home decór, including decorative crystal bowls, picture frames, hand-painted serving pieces, and beautiful sterling silver candlesticks.

Behind the original hotel, you'll find a whole neighborhood of family accommodations, meeting space, recreational opportunities and a new eatery.

The Hotel Hershey's Woodside Cottages anchor the new neighborhood. The six four‐bedroom cottages and four six‐bedroom cottages are named for the hotel's indigenous trees: Beech, Birch, Cherry, Dogwood, Hemlock, Hickory, Maple, Oak, Pine, Sycamore. The native stone structures are nestled in a lovely wooded and landscaped area.

As you might expect, these aren't rustic cottages and no "roughing it" is required. The ten cottages all offer luxurious hi-tech homes away from home, and include private outdoor entrances, large bedrooms and warm common areas for families to congregate.

Guests have the option of renting individual bedrooms or reserving an entire cottage, which includes a great room. Upper‐level great rooms feature cathedral ceilings, antique timber beams and a grand fireplace with hand‐chiseled Pennsylvania stone. A large dining table seats eight to 10 guests.
The lower great room at the six‐bedroom cottage is designed with fun and relaxation in mind and includes a classic card table that seats six. All great rooms include a fireplace, flat‐screen television, microwave, refrigerator/freezer and a sink at the wet bar. They also feature large French doors that lead out to a welcoming porch with casual seating.

Meeting planners will welcome the meeting and catering opportunities added in the Grand Expansion as well. The Meeting & Catering Cottage, named “Mountain Laurel,” is located among the guest cottages and provides groups with a convenient location that is deliberately removed from the activity of the
main hotel. Mountain Laurel is noted for its privacy, staff attentiveness, and easy access to the restaurants and accommodations of the main hotel.

 The new restaurant, Harvest, is at the center of the new neighborhood. Offering a slightly more casual dining experience than the Circular Dining Room, Harvest features a  menu rich with locally grown specialties.

Recreational opportunities abound in the cottage area as well. The executive golf course is no more, but in its place you'll find an all-weather ice rink, an expansive beach volleyball area, basketball courts, tennis courts, a playground for preschoolers and a much-needed outdoor pool and water park facility with cabanas. Also available to hotel guests are shuffleboard, bocce, croquet and hiking trails.

Own a Piece of Hershey History | Hershey Community Hospital Slated for Demolition

Milton S. Hershey built many facilities in his lifetime, but the Health Center on Route 322 in Hershey holds special meaning for many, particularly those who were born there (as my husband and his twin brother were.)

Serious structural problems will prevent Milton Hershey School from renovating the facility as previously planned, and the building is slated for demolition this spring. But the school has made arrangements for anyone who treasures the memories of the old hospital to own a small part of the building. Keepsake, commemorative bricks from the facility will be sold as a fundraiser for the Student Government Association Fund for Charitable Giving.

Members of the School's Student Government Association will personally clean and prepare bricks before plaques are affixed. To order your brick, please call (717) 520-2060 or e-mail Wanda Hurst at: [email protected]. The cost is $20.

Built in the 1930s, the School Health Center opened its doors to the local community in 1941 when the Hershey Community Hospital in the Community Center became inadequate. The facility served both students and community members until the Hershey Medical Center was built in 1970.

The building was in use until July 2008 when the first phase of the MHS Health Center expansion was completed.

Saving the Stacks

Although the Hershey stacks have served no functional purpose for many years, they have become a landmark in town and a symbol of The Hershey Company, standing tall near the main plant on East Chocolate Avenue.

And it's good to see that the stacks are apparently being preserved: crews have been working their way up the stacks, repointing the bricks.

The Grand Expansion: An Update

Following the lead of the Walt Disney Company and the Greenbrier (previous employer of Hershey Entertainment & Resorts CEO Ted Kleisner), the Hotel Hershey is adding more upscale space to its traditional hotel rooms.

"Cottages" are beginning to rise behind the Hotel Hershey as the hotel's $67 million grand expansion rolls on. Of course, these look to be a lot less "cottage" than "luxurious vacation villa," in the Disney/Greenbriar mold. In addition to the extra rooms and recreational activities, the Grand Expansion will also add a "Meeting Cottage" to the Hotel's grounds—great news for convention and meeting planners.

With all the heavy equipment rumbling around, HERCO has done a nice job of keeping the construction from interfering with the Hotel's current operation. The dust rises behind a tasteful wooden fence, complete with landscaping and hanging baskets.