NEW BOOK RELEASE
Urban & The Chocolate King
The Untold History of C. Emlen Urban & Milton S. Hershey
Celebrating Hershey & Urban’s Architectural Legacy
In the early twentieth century, American industrialists built factories. Milton S. Hershey built something far more audacious. He built a town. But Hershey did not design his town alone. Behind the public image of the plainspoken chocolate maker stood a second man, architect C. Emlen Urban, quiet, prolific, and largely forgotten outside his hometown.
Despite their differences, Hershey and Urban's collaboration was rooted in mutual respect, shared ambition, and complementary strengths. Hershey provided vision, capital, and relentless drive. Urban translated those ideas into enduring physical form.
Every Town has a Story to Tell
Urban & The Chocolate King is the untold story of Milton S. Hershey and his architect, C. Emlen Urban. Together, they created something rare: a community that functioned as a factory town, a resort, and a moral experiment. This book is the story of how that happened.
URBAN’S HERSHEY LEGACY
157
Buildings Designed
25
Styles Used
26
Building Types
Designing an American Utopia
C. Emlen Urban was the translator of Milton S. Hershey’s ambition. His designs gave form to an industrialist’s dream and made a company town look like an American ideal.
High Point Mansion
Built: 1908
Style: Georgian Revival
James B. Leithiser Mansion
Built: 1913
Style: French Second Empire
Hershey Theatre
Built: 1933
Style: Italian Renaissance
The Untold History
One man built an empire with a kiss, the other designed it. One endured repeated failures, heartache, and misfortune, while the other followed a straight-line path to success. What drove these men to achieve goals and recognition beyond their wildest dreams? Why did one become an enduring American icon while the other remained largely unknown outside his hometown?
About the Author
Gregory J. Scott, FAIA
Gregg is a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects, partner emeritus at RLPS Architects, architectural columnist for Lancaster Newspaper LNP, recent architectural correspondent for Lancaster NBC affiliate WGAL and twice recipient of the Journalist and Educator Award presented by the Historic Preservation Trust of Lancaster County.
He and his wife Terri Scott reside in Northeast Harbor, ME and Lancaster, PA. They have two children and two grandchildren. Current board and community positions include the Hamilton Club, Northeast Harbor Neighborhood House, Mount Desert Island Housing Trust and Lancaster County Behavioral Health and Developmental Services advisor. Gregg is an Eagle Scout.
