Page 20 - AAA Every Day – AAA Hudson Valley – May/June 2022

Throughout the early 20th century, the Hershey chocolate brands worldwide. In a post-Milton world,
Chocolate Corp. had many successful product
launches, including the ever-popular Hershey Kiss and Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bars with Almonds. On top of new products, new attractions were being added steadily. In Hershey, one could find a carrousel, bowling alleys, a dance hall, tennis courts, a 9-hole golf course, a photographic gallery and even a zoo. As the years passed,
the town went on to host
its own fire company, post
office, public library, church,
men’s club, industrial school
and transit company.
With the 1920s came modernization, as the factory began advancing its technology to use mechanical machines to wrap Kisses. Innovation didn’t stop with food production. In 1923, the first rollercoaster, “The Joy Ride,” was opened inside the park. In an
era of vaudeville and moving pictures, Hershey was prosperous with new ventures and products, including Mr. Goodbar and chocolate syrup. With such a big tourist draw, it was only a matter of time before they would need a place for guests to stay. In 1933, The Hotel Hershey was officially opened for business.
After surviving through the crash of the stock market, the Great Depression and Second World War, Milton Hershey died in 1945 at Hershey Hospital at the age
of 88. His many accomplishments in both candy and entertainment remain his legacy to this day, as
Hershey is still among the most popular
the corporation continued to invest in groundbreaking products and ideas. The annual flower show was introduced in 1958, followed by the incorporation of the Hershey Broadcasting Company in 1960. By mid-1963, the Hershey Chocolate Corp. had acquired H.B. Reese Candy Co. Inc. and added the peanut butter cup to its
portfolio. That same year,
the Kiss-shaped streetlights were introduced along the town’s main street, Chocolate Avenue, and fondly dubbed “Hinkles Twinkles.”
Attractions were continuously added to the amusement park, and with a slight adjustment to its name, the new Hersheypark had a grand reopening in May 1972. The following year, the use of
strolling characters began. Yes, you could meet a life-size candy bar or peanut butter cup, and you still can. The renamed Hershey Foods Corp. continued
to grow and
thrive, with new factories breaking ground in places like Canada and
California, and new acquisitions happening periodically. Throughout the years Hershey has been visited by
20 I MAY/JUNE 2022