The contrast between the Amish countryside surrounding the small borough of Mifflintown, Pennsylvania, and an hour drive southeast to Hershey is striking, but you would not want to miss either stop on a visit to this state that was one of the original 13 colonies. Pennsylvania has a lot to offer, and while many might seek the colonial sites, a tour would not be complete without finding out why it is also known as The Chocolate State.
About 24 percent of the United States Amish population resides in Pennsylvania. Mifflintown, a small community with fewer than 1,000 residents, borders the meandering Juniata River. While the area was originally settled in the 1770s, the village was not incorporated as a borough until 1933.
One of the more striking features of Mifflintown and other small communities in the area is the proximity of the homes and many retail shops to the narrow streets and roads. It seems as if one could step directly from their front stoop into the street. It is generally accepted that since the homes were built at a time when walking or horse-drawn carriage were the primary modes of transportation, there wasn’t as much danger stepping out onto the road as there is today. Deliveries of coal might have been easier to make, and since these have long been agrarian economies, having a front yard was not as important as the farm property behind the homestead.
Horse-drawn carriages abound in the Amish country because the families eschew many modern conveniences that most take for granted, such as engines powered by gasoline or electricity. Expect to slow your own vehicle down to a crawl as you get behind an Amish buggy. Your delay will not be prolonged because the locals will soon politely pull along the side of the road and let you pass.
Handmade Amish furniture, quilts, toys, soaps, baked goods, leatherwork and other items are available throughout the area at local stores and markets. A 20-mile drive from Mifflintown to Belleville on most Wednesdays will place you at a large market with just about anything Amish your heart desires. Peight’s Country Store is open six days a week and is filled with wonderful treasures and delicious food.
When you are ready to move back into the current century, don’t miss the chance to visit Hershey. Part of the drive from Mifflintown to Hershey is adjacent to the Susquehanna River. If you look closely, you will see a small copy of the Statue of Liberty on a pedestal in the middle of the river. The people of Dauphin Township placed the current sturdier version of the statue there in 1997, after the one built as a prank several years earlier was destroyed by the wind.
Hershey is all things chocolate and is called Hershey The Sweetest Place on Earth© for good reason. The streetlamps are shaped like HERSHEY’S KISSES, and the history includes Milton S. Hershey building his famous chocolate company there in 1905. Attractions include Hersheypark, Hersheypark Arena and The Hotel Hershey … you get the idea. If it says Hershey, it’s probably a place you want to visit.
At Hershey’s Chocolate World, you will find much of the history and creativity that brings delicious chocolate products to your store, as well as fun shows and a tour that takes you from cocoa bean to wrapped candy bar. Be sure to slow down for the sample candy bar at the end of the ride.
Another “don’t miss” is the opportunity to create your own candy bar. You choose the chocolate, fillings and toppings. The personalized bar moves through the automated assembly line and is presented to you to take home in a custom tin box. Your sweet tooth will thank you!
Sources:
1. www.history.com.
2. www.atlasobscura.com/places/mini-statue-of-liberty-harrisburg.
3. www.hersheypa.com.
4. www.chocolateworld.com.
Written by Bill Smith
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