Hershey-5 (DERRY CHURCH)
N 40° 17.521 W 076° 38.749
18T E 360110 N 4461468
Derry Prebyterian Church traces its beginnings to 1724.
Waymark Code: WM6TD
Location: Pennsylvania, United States
Date Posted: 01/29/2006
Views: 90
Derry Presbyterian Church traces is origins to the first worship held at the headwaters of Spring Creek by Scots-Irish in 1724. (Note: While the sign declares 1729, Derry Presbyterian Church uses 1724 as its founding date. In 1729, the village of Derry Church was started and was named after County Derry of Ireland.)
In 1732, a 13 x 17 foot Session House was constructed, and the Rev. William Bertram was installed as the first pastor. (In the same year of 1732, George Washington, our first President, was born.) The Session House is the wooden building in the glass structure just south of the graveyard. Take time to view both the Session House and the glass structure (that was donated by Milton Hershey to preserve the Session House).
In 1741, the sons of William Penn: John, Thomas, and Richard deeded the land on which the church now resides to the Derry congregation.
Pastors and members of Derry Church served in both the French and Indian War and the American Revolution.
In 1903, Milton Hershey started his chocolate factory in farmlands just west of Derry Church. The factory, the largest chocolate factory iin the world, can be seen clearly from the west end of the church parking lot. Also from this viewpoint can be seen High Point, the mansion (just south of the church) that Milton Hershey built.
In 1906, a post office starting serving the area. After asking for suggestions as to what name should be used, the post office settled on Hershey (versus the name of Derry Church). While know the world over as Hershey, PA, there is no local government called Hershey. The local government is Derry Township.
This is the fifth of eight markers in Hershey. The sixth marker is Derry Churchyard. Before leaving here, pay respects to the veterans of the French and Indian War and American Revolution buried in Derry Church's graveyard.
Marker Name: Derry Church
County: Dauphin
Date Dedicated: 02/28/1948
Marker Type: Roadside
Location: At church, 248 E. Derry Road, Hershey
Category: Religion, William Penn
Website: [Web Link]
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