| For many Americans, chocolate is Hershey. The | | | | expansion year upon year. |
| Hershey Chocolate Company was founded by | | | | Mr. Hershey never forgot his employees, and had |
| Milton S. Hershey in 1894. Mr. Hershey was CEO | | | | a keen sense of social responsibility and a strong |
| until just before his death in 1945. He was a | | | | commitment to humanity. In 1900, Mr. Hershey |
| unique individual who did not start the company in | | | | sold his caramel company and decided to relocate |
| order to achieve grandiose dreams of the high life | | | | the chocolate operations to a new location. In |
| for himself and his family. Mr. Hershey has visions | | | | 1905 the factory and operations were moved to |
| of a corporation which would provide fair | | | | the town of Hershey, Pennsylvania. The company |
| compensation and humane working conditions for | | | | continued to grow and had unparalleled success. It |
| his employees, along with a myriad of other | | | | produced a variety of chocolate products and |
| benefits. He intended for the company to provide | | | | was the first to market its products nationwide. |
| almost everything the employees would need. | | | | The iconic maroon and silver Hershey bars quickly |
| The first successful venture instigated by Mr. | | | | became an American favorite, passing into |
| Hershey was the Lancaster Caramel Company, | | | | American popular culture. |
| founded in 1886, in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. In the | | | | The first part of the 20th century saw the |
| previous four years, Mr. Hershey had not | | | | chocolate town of Hershey enjoy an |
| succeeded with two other confectionery | | | | extraordinary period of growth and continued |
| businesses he started in New York City and | | | | success. This was due in no small part to the |
| Philadelphia. This had taught him what not to do! | | | | ongoing success of the Hershey Chocolate |
| The Lancaster Caramel Company, to give it its | | | | Company. Mr. Hershey arranged affordable |
| official name, flourished, made him wealthy and | | | | housing for his employees, schools, community |
| generally grew beyond all his hopes for its | | | | centers and churches. He went on to construct a |
| success. It also brought him notoriety as a fair | | | | theater, an amusement park, a railroad system, |
| employer. | | | | stores and many other amenities for the use of |
| During the period when his caramel company was | | | | his workers and the surrounding community. |
| enjoying huge success, Mr. Hershey realized that | | | | Probably the most important community |
| although popular, caramels would be a passing | | | | contribution was the Hershey Industrial School |
| trend in the USA and that chocolate products | | | | (renamed the Milton Hershey School in 1951). The |
| would continue to be the most important and | | | | school was entirely dedicated to the educational |
| popular aspect of the confectionary business, long | | | | development and care of orphans. Today, the |
| term. He opened a small chocolate company next | | | | school is a major shareholder in the Hershey |
| to the caramel plant in 1894 which he called the | | | | Chocolate Company. |
| Hershey Chocolate Company. Mr. Hershey started | | | | The legacy left by Mr. Hershey -- hard work, |
| production of cocoa, sweet chocolate coatings for | | | | social responsibility, and the sharing of wealth -- |
| caramels and baking chocolate. Again, Mr. | | | | live on today, and are the bedrock of the |
| Hershey's intuition proved correct, and the | | | | company. |
| growing chocolate company enjoyed steady | | | | |