KFC’s roots in Corbin, Kentucky

A statue of Corbin, Ky.’s famous son, Colonel Harland Sanders, graces the new downtown park named for him.  (Jay Jones / Chicago Tribune)

A bench in Corbin Ky.’s Sanders Park is cast with a likeness of the famous face of the Colonel.  (Jay Jones / Chicago Tribune)

The original Sanders Cafe sign is small compared to the newer KFC sign and bucket that tower over the Corbin, Ky., restaurant.

A statue of the Colonel sits on a bench at the Harland Sanders Cafe and Museum in Corbin, Ky.  (Jay Jones / Chicago Tribune)

The original kitchen in which Harland Sanders created the fried chicken that would become a worldwide sensation is preserved inside the Harland Sanders Cafe and Museum in Corbin, Ky.

Colonel Sanders began the Kentucky Fried Chicken franchise empire by selling pressure cookers such as these — plus his secret breading mix — to restaurants around the country.  (Jay Jones / Chicago Tribune)

A statue of Colonel Sanders is seen inside his old office, now a part of the Harland Sanders Cafe and Museum, in Corbin, Ky.  (Jay Jones / Chicago Tribune)

Fried chicken with a tasty, thick crust is served as a special at Seasons Restaurant in Corbin, Ky.  (Jay Jones / Chicago Tribune)

Fried chicken with a tasty, thick crust is served as a special at Seasons Restaurant in Corbin, Ky.  (Jay Jones / Chicago Tribune)