Big Chicken

There's an old saying, "You don't know what you have, until it's gone."

And when I look back on my life, there were a lot of little things, that at the time were not a big deal, but now, in my mind, have gained a higher status.

When we lived near Atlanta, in Powder Springs, Georgia, from 1989-1992 we spent much time in Marietta. Powder Springs was a beautiful small town, but most of the stores and stuff that we went to were in Marietta.

When I started on my path to getting an engineering degree, that path began at Southern College of Technology (now it's Southern Polytechnic University) in Marietta. I transferred from there to Louisiana Tech, which I've talked about here before.

And I still listened to music on the radio a lot back then. And of course watched some tv, too.

Any self-respecting business anywhere near the Big Chicken in Marietta used it as a reference on how to get to their business. "We're two blocks south of the Big Chicken, at (such and such) Marietta Parkway," was a somewhat typical mention on commercials.

So anyone from that side of town knew The Big Chicken.

What is the Big Chicken? Behold:


Simply, it started out as a hamburger joint, and they added the chicken to advertise their new menu item.

It ended up being leased by Kentucky Fried Chicken, now KFC, in 1974.

I think the Chicken part was built in 1963, added to an existing building, and in the early 1990's, was almost demolished to put in a more modern building like the other KFCs. But the very mention of the destruction of such a respected landmark brought out the fangs and claws in even the most sedate Mariettan (?).

The Big Chicken was saved!

And instead of a new building, the old one was refurbished, and even the chicken itself had it's beak, and rolling eyes repaired to working order.

And all was right with the world again.

So if you ever make it to the Atlanta area, go on up to Marietta, to the Roswell Road / Marietta Parkway intersection, and feast your eyes on a true Georgia landmark.

While you're there, you might as well feast your stomach on some of The Colonel's Original Recipe.

Yeah, I know. It's kinda lame looking as chickens go, but it HAS stood the test of time.

And being a proud WalMart shopper, I'm just the classy kind of clientele that would frequent such an establishment as the Big Chicken KFC. I've et chicken from there my own self.

But then, ya gotta make room to eat at The Varsity, too, sometime while you're in the Atlanta area.

Though not if you have a delicate constitution and can't handle greasy food.

But I'm just low class enough to love this kind of goofy stuff and glad they were able to save it.