Milton S. Hershey was born in Derry Township on September 13, 1857, beginning a rural Pennsylvania life that spanned more than 50 years of business trials, a caramel empire, and the creation of an accessible milk chocolate bar for everyday families.
The Movie HERSHEY Balances History with Creative Storytelling
- The movie HERSHEY depicts major milestones from Milton and Catherine Hershey’s lives, balancing historical records with creative storytelling advised by historians and archivists.
- Milton’s journey included early apprenticeships in printing and confectionery, multiple business failures across Philadelphia and Denver, and the foundational success of the Lancaster Caramel Company.
- Filmmakers utilized archival collections from Hershey Community Archives to reconstruct historical milestones while introducing selective dramatizations like the fictional antagonist Tobias Thornhill.
From Rural Roots to Confectionery Apprenticeships
Milton Snavely Hershey grew up on farms in a Pennsylvania German-speaking Mennonite community where hard work defined daily life, as detailed in historical records shared by The Hershey Story Museum. Because his family moved often, Milton attended at least seven schools and did not progress beyond the fourth grade, combining basic education with intense rural responsibilities.
At age 13, Milton began a printing apprenticeship in Lancaster before transitioning at 14 to work under master confectioner Joseph Royer. He spent four years mastering candy making, laying the groundwork for his future enterprises.
The movie portrays these early family influences, schooling, and apprenticeships while compressing frequent relocations. Filmmakers also added a fictional period working at a brick manufacturer to further illustrate Milton’s perseverance against early challenges.
Milton Overcomes Business Failures to Build Caramel Success
Milton experienced multiple business failures, including the collapse of his first Philadelphia candy venture after six years of selling penny candies, ice cream, and caramels.
Following the downfall of his Philadelphia enterprise and driven by a quest for fresh prospects, Milton made his way to Denver, mastering the art of caramel production with fresh milk along the way. The movie highlights these cross-country travels and the rapid commercial growth of his caramel operations.
In 1886, he returned to Lancaster to found the Lancaster Caramel Company, which achieved wide distribution and made him one of America’s most successful confectioners. The movie highlights these cross-country travels and the rapid commercial growth of his caramel operations.
Milton's visit to the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago changed the course of his career. Seeing German chocolate-making machinery convinced him that chocolate represented a far greater long-term opportunity than caramels.
Retaining his chocolate ventures, Milton parted ways with the Lancaster Caramel Company in 1900 by selling the business to the American Caramel Company. This strategic move enabled him to channel all his assets into chocolate production just as his caramel enterprise peaked in profitability. The movie preserves the factual outcome of this sale while introducing a fictional antagonist named Tobias Thornhill to heighten narrative conflict.
Courtship with Catherine and Community Building
Milton met Catherine “Kitty” Sweeney while traveling on business, and the couple married on May 25, 1898. While historical records confirm their marriage and extensive travels together, the exact details of their courtship and engagement remain undocumented, leading filmmakers to create a dramatized engagement scene.
By funding public transit, recreational spaces, educational facilities, cultural centers, and residential housing during the expansion of his chocolate enterprise, Milton successfully converted ordinary farmland into the burgeoning settlement of Hershey, Pennsylvania. The community was designed to provide opportunities and quality of life for workers and their f
| Milestone | Historical Record | Movie Portrayal |
|---|---|---|
| Birth and Early Life | Born September 13, 1857; attended at least seven schools. | Portrays rural upbringing and compressed family moves. |
| Caramel Venture | Founded Lancaster Caramel Company in 1886. | Shows founding, expansion, and international orders. |
| Chocolate Transition | Visited 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition; sold caramel company in 1900. | Features exposition epiphany and adds fictional rival Tobias Thornhill. |
| Marriage | Married Catherine Sweeney on May 25, 1898. | Includes extended correspondence and a dramatized engagement. |
As Milton built his chocolate empire, he invested heavily in housing, public transportation, recreation, and education to transform rural farmland into the planned community of Hershey, Pennsylvania. Historians, archivists, and curators reviewed the script to ensure these foundational achievements were faithfully honored.
