Milton Snavely Hershey was born on September 13, 1857, in rural Dauphin County in Pennsylvania, near the present-day towns of Hockersville and Hershey.

His family, of German and Swiss heritage, were members of Pennsylvania's Mennonite community. Explore Student Life. Being a youngster in rural Pennsylvania was not easy. Milton and Catherine Hershey opened the school in 1909. Not only is Milton Hershey the man behind good chocolate—he’s the man behind good business. Purpose. In addition to leaving us with America’s most iconic chocolate bar, Milton left behind a legacy of goodness. There was work to be done. Selflessness.

Get the MHS Story. Students experience stable home lives and are immersed in exceptional academic programs when they come to this free, coed boarding school in Hershey, PA. An Experience Like No Other. One built on compassion.

Since then, more than 10,000 students from lower income families have had their lives transformed.