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
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
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
2020
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
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]
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.
From 1944 to 1981, Hershey had its own small general aviation airport on the front lawn of the Milton Hershey Middle School.[12]
Climate
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.
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
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 NPSLindoor soccer league.
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 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
One of Hershey's distinctive kiss-shaped street lamps"Chocolate Ave", celebrating Hershey's heritage
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 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]
^"PHMC Historical Markers Search"(Searchable database). Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Retrieved January 25, 2014.
^ abD'Antonio, Michael (2006). Hershey : Milton S. Hershey's extraordinary life of wealth, empire, and utopian dreams. New York: Simon & Schuster. ISBN9780743264105.
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