48 - 52 West King Street Lancaster, PA
Milton Hershey, founder of Hershey chocolate company, began his candy career in this landmark building in the 1870s. He was a teenage apprentice to candy maker Joseph Royer, who operated a shop selling candy and ice cream in this building.
Milton Hershey and his Mennonite mother lived in Lancaster City at that time. Milton’s father left the family and moved west. The father did not approve of Milton being a candy maker, because the father thought that was women’s work. Fortunately Milton disagreed.
In the 1880s Milton Hershey started Lancaster Caramel Company in this city. He employed over 1,300 workers. He then sold the company for one million dollars and started his Hershey chocolate company.
This building was constructed in 1868. The original storefront remains. There is also an elaborate bracketed cornice, with keystoned arches in the frieze, segmental arched windows with curved caps, and corner quoins. A cherry tree flowers here in early spring