Celebrating 135 years of Kentucky icon Colonel Sanders

KENTUCKY (FOX 56) — Happy Birthday, Colonel Sanders!

Colonel Harland Sanders, the iconic white-suited, goateed man who’d become synonymous with Kentucky Fried Chicken, would have turned 135 on Sept. 9, 2025.

According to the Kentucky Colonel Registry (KRC), in the 1930s, Sanders began operating a service station in Corbin, where he famously served up fried chicken for travelers who were passing through. His famous recipe was carefully prepared with a secret blend of 11 herbs and spices.

By the 1960s, Kentucky Fried Chicken had reportedly become a national phenomenon. Four years later, he’d decide it was time to slow down, and the Colonel sold his interest in the company for $2 million, per the KRC.

Sanders died at the age of 90 in December 1980. His image remains the cornerstone for Kentucky Fried Chicken, 44 years later.

“Colonel Harland Sanders’s life is a testament to the power of perseverance and the pursuit of one’s dreams. He overcame numerous obstacles, including poverty, limited education, and business setbacks, to achieve remarkable success. His story serves as an inspiration to entrepreneurs and anyone striving to make their mark on the world. His legacy extends far beyond his famous fried chicken recipe; it is a reminder that with hard work, dedication, and a dash of entrepreneurial spirit, anything is possible,” the Kentucky Colonel Registry reads.