Where Did Colonel Sanders Live in Shelbyville?

Colonel Harland Sanders and his wife Claudia moved to Shelbyville, Kentucky, in 1959. Their home was Blackwood Hall, a dwelling that was already 125 years old at the time, sitting adjacent to the property where they would later build the restaurant that carries Claudia's name. The story of Blackwood Hall and the Dinner House are deeply intertwined — the restaurant was built beside the home, and the Sanders family lived there while running it.

From Southeastern Kentucky to Shelbyville

Before moving to Shelbyville, the Colonel had built his fried chicken business in Southeastern Kentucky, operating a restaurant and motel at a service station on U.S. 25 in Corbin. After franchising his chicken recipe and growing the KFC brand, he and Claudia relocated to Shelbyville in 1959. From this property, the Colonel and Claudia built the restaurant that carries her name today.

Blackwood Hall became their residence and remained home to the Colonel and Claudia for the rest of their lives. The 125-year-old dwelling sits next to the Dinner House and remains a treasured part of the property's history.

The Founding of the Dinner House

By the late 1960s, the Colonel and Claudia turned their attention to a restaurant of their own — not a franchise location, but an independent, sit-down dinner house where they could serve Southern food the way they served it at home. Their knowledge of Southern recipes and natural leaning toward the restaurant business brought about the creation of Claudia Sanders Dinner House, which opened in 1968.

The restaurant was first called The Colonel's Lady and was later renamed in Claudia's honor. It was built beside Blackwood Hall on U.S. 60, making the home and the restaurant a single property — the Sanders family could walk from their front door to the kitchen.

The 1999 Fire and Rebuilding

The original building burned the day after Mother's Day in 1999. While the fire was a devastating loss, the Dinner House was rebuilt with larger banquet facilities and a state-of-the-art kitchen. The rebuilding preserved the country charm of the old dinner house while adding four banquet rooms that seat from 55 to 450 guests.

Blackwood Hall itself remains part of the property. Memorabilia from the Colonel's life and the restaurant's history fills the Dinner House — a living gallery of Kentucky heritage that guests can see in person when they visit.

Visiting the Property Today

Claudia Sanders Dinner House is still operating at 3202 Shelbyville Rd, on the same property beside Blackwood Hall where the Sanders family built it. Guests who visit can see memorabilia from the Colonel's life throughout the restaurant, and the Claudia Sanders Dinner House Cookbook — a collection of the recipes and stories behind the tradition — is available at the gift shop.

The restaurant is open Wednesday through Friday from 11 AM to 8 PM and Saturday and Sunday from 8 AM to 8 PM, with breakfast served on weekends. It is closed Monday and Tuesday. Call (502) 633-5600 for reservations or to ask about the banquet rooms.