The Big Chicken050

Whether you've lived in Atlanta awhile, or are just visiting, chances are you've heard at least a few references to The Big Chicken. While it is, in essence, just a 50-foot mechanical chicken head (the eyes roll and the beak opens and closes) atop a Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), it fascinates kids and adults alike, and is the true icon of Marietta and the Atlanta suburbs. Originally built in 1963 as a gimmick for a Southern greasy spoon, the management of KFC rebuilt the postmodern steel clucker after it was damaged by storms and the public clamored for it to be restored. Inside, it's pretty much your average KFC, but you can tour and find plenty of Big Chicken mementos in the gift shop.