November 11, 1900: The Hershey Bar Is Introduced

November 11, 1900, 125 years ago: The Hershey Milk Chocolate Bar -- or, just "The Hershey Bar" for short -- is first sold. Milton Hershey had been making caramel candy, but saw a chocolate-manufacturing machine at the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893, started selling chocolate novelties, sold off his caramel company in 1899, and used the profits to invest in the machines to make the Hershey Bar.

It became the most popular candy in the history of the world. It even replaced money among soldiers in World War II. Milton Hershey lived just long enough to see that happen, dying on October 13, 1945, at 88, in the town he founded: Hershey, Pennsylvania, just north of his hometown of Derry, 16 miles east of Harrisburg, and nearly 100 miles west of Philadelphia.

Little tear-shaped candies known as "Hershey's Kisses" debuted in 1907. A bar with almonds was added in 1908, and a "Special Dark" bar made from dark chocolate in 1939.

Hershey introduced Mr. Goodbar in 1925, Hershey's Syrup in 1926, semisweet chocolate chips in 1928, and the Krackel bar in 1938. In 1923, Harry Burnett Reese founded a candy company nearby, including Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. In 1963, Hershey bought Reese's out. In 1969, the Peanut Butter Cups became Hershey's best-selling item, and it remains so today. That same year, Hershey bought the rights to make and sell Kit Kat and Rolo.

In 1977, Hershey bought Y&S Candies, makers of Twizzlers. From 1986 to 2001, Hershey owned Luden's cough drops. In 1988, Hershey's made a deal with British candy company Cadbury, to sell their products in the U.S. This meant that they also owned Peter Paul, makers of Almond Joy and Mounds. In 2004, Hershey bought Mauna Loa Macadamia Nuts.

Milton opened Hersheypark, an amusement park, in 1906, and it has grown and expanded since then. An arena was built on the grounds in 1936, and in 1962, it was the site of the game where Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points for the Philadelphia Warriors against the New York Knicks. It still stands, under the name of the Hersheypark Arena. It was long the home of the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League, until 2002, when a new arena was built adjacent, now named the Giant Center after a supermarket chain.