When we started driving in Pennsylvania I had one thing on my mind – getting to Hershey in time to check out the chocolate store! But we do really try to avoid the interstates, preferring the more rural roads. Less trucks and way more interesting scenery. So I had to be a little patient, but I was pretty relieved when Larry looked up the hours and the store was open until 7:00 pm – on a Sunday! Yay!

In Larry’s research he had discovered a road that went through Amish country. There were beautiful rolling hills and amazing scenery, not to mention lots of buggies on the road. I was driving and I was thinking as I drove past the horses that they must be very used to being around cars because they didn’t care at all that I passed them.

We got to Hershey in plenty of time for the store, so we were able to check it all out, including going on a little tour of how the chocolate is made. It reminded me of Disneyland, we sat in a little car and it went around a track with pictures and demonstrations about making chocolate. Yes, at the end we each got a little Hershy’s chocolate bar, too.

The next morning we went to the Chocolate story museum which told how Milton Hershey figured out how to make chocolate taste very good, and inexpensive enough for everyone. We learned a lot about Hershey and he was a pretty great guy. He never had kids but started a school for boys – which is where he left his fortune upon his death. The school, which has both boys and girls now is still thriving. He was known to treat his employees well and encouraged them to be creative, welcoming their ideas on streamlining the chocolate making process, and encouraged new creations and flavors of candy bars.

After the chocolate story we went to Newtown, Pennsylvania where Larry’s cousin and family live. Tom and his daughter Laura picked us up from our hotel and were nice enough to drive around in traffic to let us see the hospital where Larry was born and the house he lived in until he was 4 and moved to California. Those sights are in New Jersey though, so more on that later. 🙂

Tom’s wife Helen was able to join us for dinner, which was a delicious Italian meal! After dinner we were able to visit, with Larry and Tom telling childhood memories and us learning a bit more about their grandparents and family history.