Bizarre feat of fried chicken led to beloved regional chain

Inspired by this weekend’s celebration of all things fried and made from chicken, we’re looking back at a bizarre feat of chicken consumption and a beloved restaurant.

In 1935, Gulf Shores native James “Buck” Fulford set a record when he killed, cooked and ate a chicken in one minute and 50 seconds – according to Robert Ripley, who published the story in his “Believe It or Not” syndicated cartoon.

With the publicity boost generated by Ripley’s cartoon, Fulford built a popular chain of fried chicken restaurants and stands across the Gulf South, including in New Orleans, throughout the 1940s and ‘50s.

– Nick Weldon, assistant editor, The Historic New Orleans Collection