Wednesday, June 28
We started a gorgeous day with bright blue skies and perfect temperatures at Hershey, a short drive away. The plan was to take the Trolley tour of the city, and visit Chocolate World, as we had been to the amusement park years ago with Chris, and didn't think we needed to do it again.
Has it changed!! It is now a huge complex, with all the attractions grouped together, and one huge parking lot, for which we figured we would pay dearly, even though it said the first three hours were free. Since you get the 75 minute trolley from inside the complex, that pretty much eliminates your chances for free parking!
I thought it might be fun to make our own flavor chocolate bar, but at $18, we figured a regular old chocolate bar would do just fine! Cute operation, though, and I watched those who participated having a good time.
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| Mostly children, but this couple got in on the fun! |
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| You choose your fillings, and create your wrapper, and it all comes in a metal box. |
Of the two trolley tours available, we chose the longer one, which toured the city, and provided the history of Milton Hershey and his candy, which proved very informative and interesting. If you read the back of your chocolate bar, you will see it says the purchase helps to educate children, and indeed it does! He founded, and continues to support, through a trust, boys who could not otherwise afford an education, by providing schools and housing. While suffering several failures in the beginning of his career, which started with Lancaster Caramels, he obtained great success, and created a building boom, which resulted in no lost jobs during the great depression , provided housing for his workers, and this amazing school project. He basically built a model town to meet the basic, cultural, and recreational needs of his factory workers. Even the amusement park was part of that plan. A great story. And a fun fact....the towns legal name was, and continues to be, Derry Township, but is commonly known as Hershey, because of this huge enterprise.
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| Streets, stores and hotels bear "sweet names" |
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The street lights look like candy kisses, but I could not get a shot.
We were advised they were "light" chocolate....and when they burn out, they are "dark" chocolate! Groan! |
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| Bad shot out the window, but such a pretty little town, with well tended yards, and pretty flowers! Daisies seem to be a favorite, as they were everywhere, though the roses were also very prominent. |
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| Hershey Park with a couple of new high fall rides, and the old wooden roller coaster. |
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| One of the schools up on the hill was quite stunning, and an eye catcher from afar. |
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| Huge blooms on the hydrangeas! |
After the park, I had planned an antique car museum, but we had missed the Civil War Museum in Harrisburg yesterday, so we decided to head back there with what time we had left, and do the cars another time.
The National Civil War Museum reflects the war from both sides, and proved very interesting. So much to see and read, and very interesting videos playing throughout, with actors playing real people who left diaries or letters, and therefore representing what they were feeling as the war approached and was fought, and after, through Lincoln's assassination, and reconstruction. I learned that there was a Blue and Grey Reunion 50 years after the end of the war, where veterans from both sides, came and shared a meal and shook hands. That video was amazing! We spent several hours, even just hitting the highlights.
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| Union cavalry....... |
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| ........and Confederate Cavalry. |
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| The first for African Americans, and many immigrants as well. |
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| A war of many firsts, this was the first time Taps was used, as we learned from the bugle demonstration at Petersburg. |
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| The drummers were often young boys, and a 10 year old has been documented! |
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| and the generals from both sides..... |
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| Women played supportive roles as nurses and by running the family business, and this, more than anything, led to suffrage. |
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Many firsts including the first income tax!
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This was a great interactive, where you could select questions for not only Lincoln, but people like James Wilkes Booth and Genral U.S. Grant, and actors playing the parts would answer.
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We headed back to the coach to feed the kitties and relax after a busy day!
