Celebrity Graveland

September 13, 1857 – October 13, 1945

At the age of 14, Milton Snavely Hershey began an apprenticeship with a confectioner in his native Pennsylvania. To say that this experience stuck with him would be the understatement of the century. Hershey founded a number of small confectionary companies – focusing primarily on caramels – and traveled the country learning new processes and ingredients. By the time he was in his mid 20s, he returned to Lancaster, Pennsylvania and founded the Lancaster Caramel Company.

In less than two decades, the Lancaster Caramel Company had 2 factories and over a thousand employees. It was a wild success. In 1900, Hershey sold the company and used the money to start another business…this time focusing on a new chocolate recipe he was tinkering with.

Milton Hershey bought up farmland northwest of Lancaster to build his new factory. The area would soon boast employee housing, civic infrastructure and supporting businesses and a new town, Hershey, Pennsylvania was born.

Hershey spent the remainder of his life guiding the company to massive success and introducing dozens of popular products. His status as a magnate allowed him to found numerous charities and other philanthropic endeavors. He and his wife, Kitty, traveled extensively. They had tickets for the maiden voyage of the doomed HMS Titanic, but had to cancel their plans at the last minute. Kitty died a few years later and Milton lived to the age of 88 before succumbing to pneumonia.

Today, the Hershey chocolate company is the 5th largest chocolate company in the world, selling more than $8 billion in sweets every year.

Burial

Hershey Cemetery – Hershey, PA

Specific Location

Hershey had the cemetery built himself, so it’s no surprise he and his family are prominently featured. Just enter and head toward the back and you’ll see the large HERSHEY monument area. Milton is in grave #1 on the left.

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