The History of Hersheypark

Soon after Milton S. Hershey established his factory town of Hershey, Pennsylvania, he opened Hershey Park along Spring Creek on May 30, 1906. Designed to make life more pleasant for workers and residents, it featured a rustic bandstand and pavilion where vaudeville shows and stage plays could be performed. In 1908, a merry-go-round was added alongside an amphitheater and in 1909, the park gained two bowling alleys, a tennis court, a large band shell, a photography gallery, and the Scenic Railroad. In 1912, William H. Dentzel of Philadelphia built a massive $15,000 carousel at the park; it featured 53 different animals. Between 1913 and 1923, more attractions were added, including the Starlight Ballroom, which accommodated Big Band-era performances, and the Hershey Zoo, which housed Milton Hershey's own animals. The Wild Cat roller coaster was added in 1923 and other attractions soon followed, including a small Ferris wheel, a fun house called The Bug, and a water flume ride called The Mill Chute. More attractions followed in the 1940s and 1950s. In 1971, the transformation of Hershey Park, a regional amusement park, into Hersheypark, the nationally-recognized theme park, began. The pay-as-you-ride policy disappeared and was instead replaced with a flat admission fee. A new amphitheater and the Music Box Theatre were installed to host high-quality shows and in 1977, the SooperdooperLooper opened; it was the first steel looping roller coaster on the East Coast. Water rides were added in the 1980s, including the Cyclops, Pirat, Wave Swinger, Conestoga, and Canyon River Rapids attraction, which let guests simulate a whitewater rafting trip. More roller coasters were added in the 1990s, including The Flying Falcon, The Sidewinder, and Tidal Force, as well as a one-of-a-kind wooden roller coaster, The Wildcat, and the Great Bear, the first steel inverted looping roller coaster in the state. The Hersheypark Fair had its inaugural season during the summer of 1999 and Hersheypark welcomed the new millennium with the Lightning Racer, the first dueling roller coaster in the United States. In 2007, a new waterpark opened at Hersheypark; it was aptly called The Boardwalk at Hersheypark. Even more attractions have been added to the park since, including the opening of Hershey’s Chocolatetown in 2020. Today, Hersheypark continues to be a popular theme park destination for families from all over the country.