Birthplace of Kentucky Fried Chicken
Celebrating a piece of Kentucky history in southern Laurel County on US 25, bringing nostalgia to life at the Sanders Cafe and Museum.
The birthplace of Kentucky Fried Chicken was founded by a man who was also given the title “Kentucky’s Most Famous Citizen”. You may also know him by his fashion design of a white suit and black trim glasses, with a side of southern hospitality for traveling tourists. Along with extraordinary entrepreneurial skills and savvy businessman talents, his accomplishments has made Kentucky an international destination. This man’s legacy will live on at his original restaurant called Sanders Cafe. His name is Colonel Harland Sanders. In 1990, which would have been the Colonel’s 100th birthday, London-Laurel County created a World Chicken Festival in his honor of his accomplishments and dedication.
Laurel County and Chicken Heritage
World’s Largest Stainless Steel Skillet
Kentucky is known for bourbon, horses and of course fried chicken. Colonel Harland Sanders is one of the most recognizable international icons. The World Chicken Festival was founded September of 1990 in honor of the Colonels 100th birthday.
Undoubtedly the festival had to create it’s own iconic attraction. In 1992 the festival decided to build the World’s Largest Stainless Steel Skillet to cook and serve fried chicken to those craving a taste of chicken history.
National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
Sanders Cafe and Museum joined the National Register of Historic Places on July 5, 1990, constructed in the summer of 1940, in southern Laurel County. The frame cafe was once part of the Sanders Motor Court and Cafe. It was in this cafe that Colonel Harland Sanders developed and initiated the franchising of his fried chicken which made his name a household word in America.
Sanders Café and Museum, located at 688 Hwy 25 in southern Laurel County in Corbin, KY began a massive interior and exterior restoration project in 2019. Completed in April 2022, restaurant now features a unique and world-class design that preserves the historical integrity of the location, with some design elements drawn from KFC’s signature American Showman design aesthetic, which pays tribute to Colonel Sanders.
History Highlights of Colonel Sanders
Colonel Harland Sanders (September 9, 1890 – December 16, 1980) road to chicken success was not in a traditional business plan. Throughout his road to “Finger Lickin Good” success, he had several jobs. Looking back, the new access of Interstate I-75 would eventually be in the Colonels favor. Becoming one of Kentucky’s Most Famous Citizens did not happen over night.
Surprisingly not only Harland Sanders staredt his original cafe in southern Laurel county, in Corbin KY, but Lee Cummings, co-founder of Lee’s Famous Recipe Chicken, also began his career in 1952 with his uncle, Colonel Sanders, in Laurel County.