The Claudia Sanders Dinner House, a historic restaurant in Shelbyville, Kentucky, is being auctioned off along with its memorabilia. The auction includes two separate offerings: the Colonel Sanders Collection, featuring dozens of artifacts from the personal collection of the Settle family, and a sealed-bid auction for the historic Claudia Sanders Dinner House and Blackwood Hall properties.
The Colonel Sanders Collection
The collection includes the Colonel’s personal planner, Masonic ring, official Kentucky Colonel Commission Certificate, and even his clip-on bow tie and suspenders. The collection will be available for public preview on July 23, followed by a live, in-person and online auction on July 28.
The second offering is a sealed-bid auction for the historic Claudia Sanders Dinner House and Blackwood Hall properties. The dinner house first opened in 1959 after the Colonel and Claudia Sanders moved to Shelbyville from Corbin. The restaurant became a well-known destination for Southern-style comfort food and was closely tied to the early history of Kentucky Fried Chicken, serving as one of the first headquarters for the growing franchise.
A Piece of Kentucky History
Across the parking lot sits Blackwood Hall, which served as the Sanders’ former home on the grounds and has remained a significant part of the site’s history over the years. In addition to the two properties, the auction package includes the restaurant and event business, along with furniture, fixtures, intellectual property, and trademarks.
In 2022, the Settle family announced that they planned to retire and list the property for sale. At the time, they said they hoped a new owner would preserve its legacy, retain employees, and continue the tradition of the historic dining destination. Sealed bids will be accepted through July 31.
Original reporting: WLKY Louisville — read the source article.
