Corbin, KY: Home of Kentucky Fried Chicken (And Its Many Legends)

By now, even those who are not exactly a fan of Kentucky Fried Chicken probably know a great deal about its origin story. Yet for every timeworn, heartwarming chestnut, like how Colonel Sanders roamed the countryside peddling his recipe, there are facts you get the feeling were intentionally glossed over in the name of a good marketing angle (for example how it was another fast food legend entirely who really made KFC a household name) and still others that have only been obscured by the passage of time (the first restaurant was opened in Kentucky, you bet your sweet bippy…but the second, most folks don’t realize, opened its doors in Asheville, North Carolina.)

Many of you are probably not aware that it was Dave Thomas of Wendy’s fame, an early employee, who really took the reins and ran with them, as far as turning this concept into a powerhouse. This came at a time when they only had a handful of locations — you could literally count them on one hand — just one of which was actually located in Kentucky. Thomas’s belief in the brand saved this chain, as the investors themselves were all getting spooked, thinking about cutting their losses and getting out, and even…