The Sweetest Place on Earth: Hershey, PA

Hershey is a small town located about halfway between the state capital of Harrisburg and the city of Lebanon; both cities are about 12 miles away. Hershey is technically part of Derry Township, and is an unincorporated village. The twn was known as Derry Church until 1906, when Milton S. Hershey renamed the town after his successful company.

Hershey is called "The Sweetest Place on Earth". That slogan is to be taken literally; while most cities or towns smell like farmland, the nearby junkyard, or the mixed smells of thousands of people, the air in Hershey smells like the trademark chocolate that Hershey makes. The town basically smells like your mother's kitchen on a cold Winter night after a batch of fresh cookies come out of the oven.

The two main roads in Hershey are US Route 422 (more well-known as Chocolate Avenue) and Cocoa Avenue. Other streets nearby these streets are named after places where Hershey gets their cocoa from: Caracas Avenue, Bahia Avenue, Areba Avenue (is Areba now Aruba?), etc.


The intersection of Chocolate Avenue and Cocoa Avenue in downtown Hershey. These signs would make great collector's items for chocoholics. In the background is a ride for Hershey Park Amusement Park.



Hershey Theatre, the town's performing arts center.



The back of Hershey Theatre.



Hershey's Chocolate World, which serves as the company's visitor center. Chocolate World provides free tours of the chocolate-making process, among other things.



A historic sign outside of Chocolate World.



A PNC Bank branch on Chocolate Avenue. In the background is a ride at Hershey Park Amusement Park.



Some of Hershey's trademark Kiss-shaped streetlamps along Chocolate Avenue.



Looking west down Chocolate Avenue. More Kiss-shaped streetlamps are visible.



Hershey Theatre again.



The chocolate factory, located just off of Chocolate Avenue.



A church and some businesses on Chocolate Avenue.



Some houses on Chocolate Avenue.



A nice house on Caracas Avenue.



Some houses on Granada Avenue.



More houses on Granada Avenue.



More houses on Granada Avenue.



A few more blocks from downtown, the streets have "regular" names. This house is on Ridge Road.



Some houses on Linden Road.



More houses on Linden Road.



A house on Elm Avenue.



Some houses on Elm Avenue.



More houses on Elm Avenue.



Hershey Park Amusement Park is just beyond the train tracks. Towards the right is Hersheypark Arena, home to the American Hockey League's Hershey Bears for 7 decades until a few years ago. The team chose the name "Bears" because it was close to the word "bars" (as in Hershey bars). Hersheypark Arena is also the site of Wilt Chamberlain's 100 point game.



A rollercoaster at nearby Hershey Park.



Outside of town is Founders Hall. Founders Hall was built in 1970 to commemorate the founders of Milton Hershey School: Milton and Catherine Hershey.



From the lawn in front of Founders Hall, you can see the Hersheys smokestacks.

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