Hershey, Pennsylvania
Hershey is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Derry Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is home to The Hershey Company, which was founded by candy magnate Milton S. Hershey, and Hersheypark, an amusement park.
Hershey | |
|---|---|
Hershey Kiss-shaped street lamps in downtown Hershey | |
| Motto: The Sweetest Place on Earth[1] | |
Location of Hershey in Dauphin County (right) and of Dauphin County in Pennsylvania (left) | |
Hershey Hershey | |
| Coordinates: 40°16′42″N 76°39′4″W / 40.27833°N 76.65111°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Pennsylvania |
| County | Dauphin |
| Township | Derry |
| Area | |
| • Total | 14.42 sq mi (37.34 km2) |
| • Land | 14.30 sq mi (37.03 km2) |
| • Water | 0.12 sq mi (0.30 km2) |
| Elevation | 411 ft (125 m) |
| Population | |
| • Total | 13,858 |
| • Density | 969.23/sq mi (374.23/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| ZIP Code | 17033 |
| Area code | 717 |
| FIPS code | 34-71385 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1176895 |
| Designated | March 2, 2003[4] |
The community is located 14 miles (23 km) east of Harrisburg and is part of the Harrisburg metropolitan area. Hershey has no legal status as an incorporated municipality, and all its municipal services are provided by Derry Township. The population was 13,858 at the 2020 census.[5]
Hershey is located 75.2 miles (121.0 km) southwest of Allentown, 14.7 miles (23.7 km) east of Harrisburg, and 94.5 miles (152.1 km) northwest of Philadelphia.
History edit
The town was founded by Hershey in 1903 for the company’s workers, and their homes had modern amenities such as electricity, indoor plumbing, and central heating. The town had a public trolley system, a free school to educate the children of employees, a free vocational school to train orphaned and underprivileged boys, and later an amusement park, golf courses, community center, hotel, zoo, and a sports area.[6]
The purpose was to provide "a perfect American town in a bucolic natural setting, where healthy, right-living, and well-paid workers lived in safe, happy homes."[7]: 115 In 1937, a strike and occupation at the chocolate factory ended violently when some strikers were severely beaten by a rally loyal to the company.[7]: 218 [8]
Geography edit
Hershey is located in southeastern Dauphin County, in the center and eastern parts of Derry Township. It is bordered to the east by Palmdale (also in Derry Township) and by Campbelltown (in South Londonderry Township, Lebanon County). To the west is the borough of Hummelstown. Over half the population of Derry Township is within the Hershey CDP.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the Hershey CDP has a total area of 14.4 square miles (37.3 km2), of which 14.4 square miles (37.2 km2) is land and 0.058 square miles (0.15 km2), or 0.41%, is water.[9]
Demographics edit
2020 edit
As of the 2020 census, there were 13,858 people living there. Hershey was made up of 82.3% White, 5.5% Asian, 2.7% African American, and 1.1% in other categories. 10.7% identify as Hispanic or Latino.[5]
2010 edit
As of the 2010 census, there were 14,257 people living there. Hershey was made up of 83.5% White, 6.6% Asian, 6.2% African American, and 3.5% in other categories. 3.4% identify as Hispanic or Latino.[10]
Transportation edit
U.S. Route 422, also known as Chocolate Avenue, runs through the center of Hershey, and U.S. Route 322, also known as Governor Road, passes south of the center. The two highways merge at the western end of Hershey at an interchange with Pennsylvania Route 39. US 422 leads east 43 miles (69 km) to Reading, and US 322 leads southeast 28 miles (45 km) to Ephrata and west 15 miles (24 km) to Harrisburg, the state capital. Route 39 provides access to Hersheypark and Chocolate World, located in the northern part of the CDP, and continues north 6 miles (10 km) to Interstate 81 at Skyline View.
Hershey is accessible via Harrisburg International Airport, approximately 12 miles (19 km) to the southwest. Amtrak's Keystone Service provides frequent rail service to the nearby towns of Middletown (9 miles), Harrisburg (13 miles) and Elizabethtown Amtrak Station (11 miles), as well as its eastern terminus in Philadelphia (95 miles). CAT and LT (formerly known as COLT) provide bus service.
From 1944 to 1981, Hershey had its own small general aviation airport on the front lawn of the Milton Hershey Middle School.[12]
Climate edit
Hershey has a humid continental climate (Dfa), as is very common in Pennsylvania. Temperatures can reach up to 95 °F in the summer, and fall below 20 °F in the winter. The hardiness zones are 6b and 7a.
| Climate data for Hershey, Pennsylvania | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 36 (2) | 40 (4) | 44 (7) | 62 (17) | 71 (22) | 80 (27) | 84 (29) | 82 (28) | 75 (24) | 64 (18) | 52 (11) | 40 (4) | 61 (16) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 20 (−7) | 23 (−5) | 29 (−2) | 39 (4) | 48 (9) | 58 (14) | 62 (17) | 61 (16) | 53 (12) | 42 (6) | 33 (1) | 25 (−4) | 41 (5) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 2.96 (75) | 2.77 (70) | 3.34 (85) | 3.68 (93) | 4.10 (104) | 4.15 (105) | 4.56 (116) | 3.64 (92) | 3.93 (100) | 3.49 (89) | 3.49 (89) | 3.34 (85) | 43.45 (1,103) |
| Source: [13] | |||||||||||||
Education edit
- Derry Township School District, public school district
- Hershey High School, public high school
- The Vista School, state-approved, private school for autistic students aged 3 to 21 years
- Milton Hershey School, private philanthropic school founded in 1909 by chocolate magnate Milton Hershey to serve poor children. Currently serves children from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade
- Penn State University College of Medicine, a medical school affiliated with Hershey Medical Center
Sports edit
| Club | League | Venue | Established | Championships won |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hershey Bears | AHL, Ice hockey | Giant Center | 1932 | 12 |
| Hershey FC | NPSL, Soccer | Hersheypark Stadium | 2013 | 0 |
Hershey was once home to the Hershey Wildcats of the A-League, a professional soccer team. The team folded after the 2001 season when its owners decided that it would not be successful financially. The Wildcats were named after a popular roller-coaster in Hersheypark. Hershey was also home to the Hershey Impact over the NPSL indoor soccer league.
National Basketball Association player Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points for the Philadelphia Warriors in a regular season game played at Hersheypark Arena in 1962; his effort remains a single-game record for the league.
Elizabethtown College hosted the 2015 NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships at the Giant Center.
Christian Pulisic, the American soccer player who plays for AC Milan of Italy’s Serie A and the United States men's national soccer team, is from Hershey.[14]
Points of interest edit
The community is home to The Hershey Company, which makes the well-known Hershey Bar and Hershey's Kisses and is the parent company of the H. B. Reese Candy Company, manufacturer of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. Hershey's Chocolate World is a factory store and virtual tour ride of The Hershey Company. The original Hershey Chocolate Factory, located downtown along Chocolate Avenue, was closed in 2012 due to high operational costs.[15] Although many of the former factory buildings have been demolished, several were converted to modern office space.[16]
Hershey Entertainment and Resorts Company owns and operates Hersheypark, Hersheypark Stadium, and other attractions such as ZooAmerica and Hershey Gardens, and is a major employer of the community and surrounding area. Every October since 1955, the Antique Automobile Club of America have hosted the AACA Eastern Fall Meet here.[17] Usually referred to simply as "Hershey", this is often claimed to be the world's largest automotive swap meet.[18]
The Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and the Milton Hershey School for underprivileged youth are also located in Hershey.
The Pennsylvania State Police Academy is located north along Hersheypark Drive. In addition, the Derry Township Police Department is a nationally recognized law enforcement agency.[19]
Hershey is also home to four world-class golf courses, a few museums, The Hotel Hershey, and an opulent spa.[19]
Hersheypark Stadium hosts concerts and sporting events, with a capacity of 30,000. It is also the venue of the Cocoa Bean Game between the Hershey High School and Milton S. Hershey High School football teams.
- AACA Museum, operated by the Antique Automobile Club of America
- GIANT Center, home of the Hershey Bears
- Hershey Area Playhouse[20]
- Hershey Cemetery
- Hershey Center for Applied Research
- Hershey Country Club
- Hershey Gardens
- Hershey Lodge and Convention Center
- Hershey Museum
- Hershey Public Library
- Hershey Recreation Center[21]
- Hershey Theatre
- Hershey's Chocolate World
- Hersheypark
- Hersheypark Arena
- Hersheypark Stadium
- Hershey-Derry Township Historical Society
- Hotel Hershey
- Indian Echo Caverns
- Milton Hershey School
- Milton S. Hershey Mansion
- Parkview Cross Country Course
- Tanger Outlets
- The Hershey Story
- Tröegs Brewing Company
- ZooAmerica
In popular culture edit
Hershey Park plays a large role in the American Dad episode "May the Best Stan Win" where Stan must fight his cyborg clone for the affection of his wife Francine. The episode includes a musical number called "At Hershey Park" sung by a chorus of back-up singers at the park.
In Mad Men, Donald Draper was raised in a brothel in Hershey.[22]
In The Simpsons episode "Homerland", Homer says: "I’ve never prayed to a city in my life and if I did it’d be Hershey, Pennsylvania."[23]
Hershey was also mentioned in The Good Doctor, when it was revealed that Shaun Murphy's (main character) love interest, Lea (played by Paige Spara) is moving to Hershey, Pa. to work in her family's auto body shop.[24]
In the American ensemble procedural series, 9-1-1, Hershey is where siblings Evan (Buck) Buckley, played by Oliver Stark, and Maddie Buckley, played by Jennifer Love Hewitt) spent most of their childhoods. In Season Four, Episode 5, "Buck Begins", it is revealed that the family moved to Hershey from a different Pennsylvania town when Buck was a young baby. The reason for the move was due to the death of their brother Daniel.[citation needed]
Notable people edit
- Brian Baker, actor
- John Bilbrey, director at McCormick & Company and former CEO and president of Hershey Company
- Michele Buck, CEO and president of the Hershey Company
- Scott Campbell, professional football player in National Football League (NFL)
- Gigi Cesarè, actress and recording artist
- Deesha Dyer, White House Social Secretary
- Garry Gilliam, former Penn State University and former San Francisco 49ers offensive linesman
- Milton S. Hershey, confectioner and philanthropist[25]
- Lois Herr, progressive activist
- John Huzvar, professional football player in NFL
- Jules Jordan, film director and actor
- Nellie King, former Major League Baseball pitcher for Pittsburgh Pirates
- Kellen Kulbacki, professional baseball player in Major League Baseball
- George M. Leader, Governor of Pennsylvania
- Trymaine Lee, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and national reporter for MSNBC
- Mark Malkoff, comedian and writer
- David Nolan, Stanford University swimmer
- The Ocean Blue, alternative rock band, formed in Hershey.[26]
- Steven Pasquale, television and stage actor
- John D. Payne, state Congressman
- Christian Pulisic, soccer player for AC Milan and United States men's national soccer team
- Da'Vine Joy Randolph, Tony Award-nominated actress
- H.B. Reese, inventor of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups[27] and founder of the H.B. Reese Candy Company, lived and built his two candy factories in Hershey.[28]
- Nate Saint, American missionary
- Joe Senser, former NFL tight end for Minnesota Vikings and former board member of the Hershey Trust Company and Hershey Entertainment & Resorts Company
- John B. Sollenberger, sports and entertainment executive
- Andrew Joseph Stack III, who flew a Piper Dakota airplane into an IRS building in Austin, Texas as a tax protest in 2010
- Jay Taylor, professional football player in NFL
- Dave Twardzik, professional basketball player in NBA
- Chris Villarrial, professional football player in the NFL and head football coach at Saint Francis University
- Richard Winters, U.S. Army major
- Michelle Wolf, comedian
References edit
- ^ "Experience Hershey, PA". Hershey Entertainment & Resorts. Retrieved December 22, 2015.
- ^ "ArcGIS REST Services Directory". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 12, 2022.
- ^ a b "Census Population API". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 12, 2022.
- ^ "PHMC Historical Markers Search" (Searchable database). Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Retrieved January 25, 2014.
- ^ a b U.S. Census Bureau (2020). "2020 Census Interactive Population Search PA – Hershey CDP." Retrieved November 11, 2021.
- ^ Day, Anthony (2006). "Tasty morsels from the life of a candy man". baltimoresun.com.
- ^ a b D'Antonio, Michael (2006). Hershey : Milton S. Hershey's extraordinary life of wealth, empire, and utopian dreams. New York: Simon & Schuster. ISBN 9780743264105.
- ^ "Score Hurt in Riot: C. I. O. Strikers, Cut and Bones Broken, March Out in Surrender". The New York Times. April 8, 1937.
- ^ "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Hershey CDP, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved December 22, 2015.
- ^ "2010 Census Interactive Population Search PA – Hershey CDP". U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on December 10, 2014. Retrieved December 10, 2014.
- ^ "United States Census Bureau QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 26, 2022.
- ^ [1] URL last accessed October 28, 2015.
- ^ "Monthly Averages for Hershey, PA". Weather.com. Retrieved December 29, 2011.
- ^ "Men's national team: Christian Pulisic". United States Soccer Federation. Retrieved July 30, 2018.
- ^ "Former CEO says Hershey Co. did all it could to save the old factory". PennLive.com. November 8, 2012.
- ^ Malawskey, Nick (August 7, 2015). "Old is new again at former Hershey factory". PennLive.com. PA Media Group. Retrieved May 4, 2017.
- ^ . Hershey, PA: Antoque Automobile Club of America. Archived from the original on October 24, 2018.
- ^ Gross, Ken (October 22, 2015). . Car and Driver. Archived from the original on October 14, 2019.
- ^ a b "Area Information". Retrieved June 25, 2020.
- ^ "Hershey Area Playhouse".
- ^ "Parks and Recreation".
- ^ Emily VanDerWerff (June 24, 2013). "S6/E13: In Care Of". AV Club.
- ^ "D'OH MERLAND". The Simpsons Tapped Out Addicts. September 30, 2013.
- ^ "Hershey is in tonight's 'The Good Doctor' episode". PennLive.com. Retrieved July 27, 2018.
- ^ . Hershey Community Archives. Archived from the original on December 27, 2017. Retrieved December 26, 2017.
- ^ Wicker, Jewel (November 17, 2015). "Hershey-native Ocean Blue band rewards Chameleon Club, local fans with show celebrating 25-year career". pennlive.com. Retrieved April 16, 2019.
- ^ "Snickers Surging to Top of Global Candy Race". Ad Age. September 20, 2012. Retrieved December 26, 2017.
- ^ "The H.B. Reese Candy Company Story". BradReeseCom. Lebanon Daily News. June 9, 1956. Retrieved December 26, 2017.
External links edit
- Hershey Community Archives website
- Preserve Hershey organization
- The Sun newspaper