Before the tourist hordes: the original antique autos of Hershey

Americans do it bigger, they say, so it cannot be a surprise that world’s largest "antique auto show" takes place in the United States. It’s the town of Hershey in Pennsylvania, founded by sweets manufacturer Milton Hershey of Hershey chocolate fame, which can take the credit for it, but we’re sure you know that.

Hershey was officially founded in 1903 and completed in 1905, but it only really started to take shape in the 1930s. While much of the country was in despair due to the economic crisis, the Hersheys started their "Great Building Campaign" to provide jobs and transform the town into a major tourist resort.

This picture definitely predates that and we wonder if anyone is able to attach a specific date to it. The image is said to have been taken in the town of Hershey itself and there’s a Hershey's Cocoa sign in the background, but we are not sure about the precise location. The impressive building in the background should make identification easy, shouldn’t it? Despite the towers, we don't think it's the Hershey Hotel, but maybe we're wrong|? It's not the Hershey Theatre, either, . so before we start looking at the cars, who can identify the place first?

Words: Jeroen Booij
Picture: source unknown

Published:

Tuesday October 8th, 2024

Ronald D. Sieber

13 October 2024, 19:26

The annual A.A.C.A. Eastern Nationals event at Hershey creates, among other ancillary events, a pop-up Mecca for old cars, parts, and services for them. It draws crowds of car-loving people from all over the world; I heard at least four other languages beyond the usual English variants, as well as French and German.

The "flea market" of buying and selling was hot and heavy in the vendor spaces on the huge stadium parking lot, and that was only part of this week-long happening. Car dealers and their tents, a boulevard stretching around the perimeter of the Hershey Bears' hockey stadium, a major auction at the nearby Hershey Lodge—all provided a sure overdose of car mania. And, of course, the A.A.C..A.'s concours event on Friday occurred in perfect weather, with at least 1,000 cars being judged for their respective awards, everyone competing to a measured standard that gave all participants a chance to earn an award.

I sold more copies of my book, Classic Speedsters, while walking the show field than I did sitting in a sales tent earlier in the week because I kept running into fellow speedster fans who were also admiring the cars on the field. I wasn't trying to sell, but folks kept asking me what I did as an automotive writer, and I was gratefully giving out book cards like they were candy.

At an event like this, you meet total strangers with similar tastes, you strike up a spirited conversation, and pretty soon you're old buddies swapping stories and contact information to get together for a future coffee or beer.
What an event. Ya gotta go sometime—it's recommended!

Chuck Hoffman

13 October 2024, 13:25

Just finished up another great week at Hershey! I believe what you see in this picture is the old Hershey convention hall built in the early 1900s in Hershey Park before it was an amusement park. They held events and concerts there which would explain the parking. It is still there in Hershey Park. Eventually, it had the Hershey Arena attached to it in the 1930s and later became the Hershey Museum for a time.

The Hershey Hotel was not built until the 1930s so that could not be the building in the picture. Here is a another picture of the building in period and a more modern shot.

Habib Nicolas Elmedawar

13 October 2024, 13:42

Great?

Jack Braam Ruben

13 October 2024, 10:15

Funny. My first year was 1975 as well. I bought a pair of wellingtons before going down the field from the Hershey Hotel. I started on the airfield as that was paved, bought a programme with a listing of the exhibitors and looked for Bugatti. When I arrived on the spot it was still empty. After a two-hour wait a guy with a pick-up truck and a late Series Galibier arrived. He offered me first refusal if I would help him unload. I bought a T57 gearbox and all sorts of Bugatti parts plus the Galibier. Those were the days. After an exhausting day through the mud I got back to the hotel where someone told me I had that typical “Hershey walk.” It’s not the same anymore but still a must for every car person.

Larry Lewis

08 October 2024, 05:17

It does look like the Hershey Hotel. Milton Hershey built railways in Cuba to assist in harvesting cocoa plants and many of them still run today. The Hershey production plant used to be on the main street in the town and the cocoa dust would sting your eyes. It's now out of town but the smell still reaches you when you are at the show. My first time at the show was in 1975 and it was flooded and I was in water up to my waist walking through the flea market area. It's all been paved now but back then it was walking through streets of mud and water.

Before the tourist hordes: the original antique autos of Hershey

Comments

Make a comment, ask a question, give your opinion, share additional information or start a discussion by filling in the fields below.