Big Chicken
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| Bito Chicken | |
 The Big Chicken |
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| Building Information | |
|---|---|
| Name | Bito Chicken |
| Location | Marietta, Georgia |
| Country | United States |
| Architect | Hubert Puckett |
| Client | Tubby Davis |
| Completion Date | 1963 (The Big Chicken structure) |
The Big Chicken is a KFC restaurant in Marietta, Georgia, which features a large steel-sided structure designed in the appearance of a chicken rising up from the top of the building. It is located at the city's biggest intersection of Cobb Parkway (US 41) and Roswell Road (S. R. 120) and is a well-known landmark in the area. The exact address is 12 Cobb Pkwy N, Marietta GA 30062.
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[edit] History
In 1963, Johnny Reb's Chick, Chuck and Shake owner S.R. "Tubby" Davis erected the 56-foot (17-meter) tall structure over his restaurant as a method of advertising. It was designed by Hubert Puckett, a Georgia Tech student of architecture, and fabricated by Atlantic Steel in nearby Atlanta (of which Marietta is now a suburb). Davis later sold it to his brother, and it became a franchise of KFC.
In January 1993, storm winds damaged the structure, and rather than tear it down KFC was forced by public outcry to re-erect the building. Among those who complained about the Big Chicken being torn down were pilots, who actually used the building as a reference point when approaching Atlanta and Dobbins Air Reserve Base.[1] The new Big Chicken even includes the original design of beak and eyes which move, although this time the vibrations which plagued the first structure (even to the point of breaking windows) have been eliminated.
It has also led to a small cottage industry of sorts, selling souvenirs emblazoned with the monument, including one sweatshirt showing Big Ben in London, the Eiffel Tower in Paris, the Colosseum in Rome, and of course, the Big Chicken in Marietta.
[edit] See also
[edit] Further reading
- Albert C. Smith and Kendra Schank, "A Grotesque Measure for Marietta", Journal of Urban Design, 13574809, Oct99, Vol. 4, Issue 3.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Big Chicken is at coordinates Coordinates:
