Corbin, Ky.: Home of the Sanders Cafe & Museum, A Shrine to the KFC Founder and his Restaurant Chain

 

AAE recently had the pleasure of visiting the Sanders Cafe & Museum in Corbin, Ky. It is the site of the original Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant, started by Col. Harlan Sanders in 1937, when it opened as a gas station, with the restaurant and a small motel to follow. 

According to the site's website, KFC franchisees Linda and John R. Neal bought the Corbin KFC in 1973, and following a renovation, reopened it as the Harland Sanders Café and Museum on Sept. 9, 1990, which would have been the Sanders' 100th birthday.

The museum features many historical items from KFC's distant and recent past. This display showed some of the products that have been offered from the fast-food chain.

This is a replica of the open-kitchen concept that Sanders used in his first restaurant. He wanted customers to be able to see the process used in creating the signature fried chicken and other dishes that were served.

This is a replica of one of the tables used in the dining area where guests could come in and enjoy their meals.

This life-sized statue of Sanders greets visitors in the entry area of the museum. And of course, he's holding a bucket of his world-famous chicken. 

This display contains one of the iconic white suits worn by Sanders. It gave him a distinctive look, along with his white hair and goatee. 

This bust of Sanders honors his memory, and along with so much of the other items displayed, helps tell the story of the man and the restaurant chain he founded. Plus, the Sanders Cafe now also functions as a modern KFC restaurant, so hungry visitors can grab a bite to eat at the historic site.