'Hershey' filming brings back horse and buggy days to Ligonier

On a typical day, shoppers can be seen walking in and out of the unique shops around the Diamond in Ligonier.

But on Wednesday, most of the stores were closed and the mulch-covered streets were filled with horses, buggies, antique cars and actors dressed head-to-toe in early 1900s clothing.

It was all part of the filming for a period movie about Pennsylvania chocolatier, businessman and philanthropist Milton Hershey.

Dozens of people gathered around barricades outside the Diamond on Wednesday as well, hoping to get an early look at the film expected to come out next year or a glimpse of actress Alexandra Daddario or actor Finn Wittrock in action.

“I just think the whole production is very interesting,” said Amy Marshall of Ligonier as she stood watching the crew repeatedly rehearse a dance scene.

The borough was transformed this week to reflect the late 1800s and early 1900s. Storefronts were altered to appear as a vintage drugstore, photography studio and millinery. The live-action set will stay in place through Friday, when the cast and crew are done filming.

Erica Stephens of Pottsville came to watch her mother appear as a background extra in the film. Her brother also works in the location department for the Pittsburgh Film Office, so this is not the first time she has been on a movie set.

Each time, she finds it fascinating how the crew turns an ordinary town into a movie set to accommodate the film.

“It unravels the magic behind Hollywood, but it also makes it more interesting,” Stephens said.

Ligonier was a good setting to help evoke the specific time frame of the film, said Anna Lingeris, a spokesperson for “Hershey.”

Lorrie Bucklen of Ligonier was having breakfast at The Kitchen on Main when she decided to come down and take a look at the production.

“I thought it would be neat,” Bucklen said. “It’s not every day you get to see a movie in the making.”

Customers of the Holiday Home Store in Ligonier had to enter the shop through the back door Wednesday but not because there was anything wrong with the front door. Outside the front of the shop, cast members in long dresses, big hats and fancy suits passed by.

“I get front-row seats,” said Pat Baker, owner of Holiday Home Store.

The crew draped white curtains over the windows and hung a poster for a Wild West show on the exterior.

Unlike some businesses in town, Baker decided to stay open throughout the filming because she can let customers in through the back of the store.

“It’s a disruption, but it’s a fun disruption,” she said.

She said, with everyone bustling around town preparing for the film, it reminded her of the energy of Fort Ligonier Days, a three-day event in the fall featuring battle reenactments, food and entertainment.

What made her most excited for the film was its historical elements. She enjoyed looking at the costumes and seeing the town being transformed.

“I wouldn’t be as excited if it was a Batman movie,” Baker said.

Cindy Purnell, owner of Post and Rail Men’s Shop, also decided to keep her shop open. She said the production was an inconvenience to a certain extent, but she hopes people’s curiosity about the film brings them into town.

“Ligonier is a great place to live, so why not share it?” she said.

The film follows the story of Milton and Kitty Hershey and their chocolate company, as well as the school they began in 1909, the Milton Hershey School. Lingeris said that the movie will come out around the time of the United State’s 250th anniversary in 2026.

“There’s nothing more American than Milton Hershey’s story,” she said.