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Big Spring Cafe

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Adapted from the English Wikipedia article Big Spring Cafe, available under CC BY-SA 4.0Updated 27 November 20258 sources
Big Spring Cafe
Company typePrivate
IndustryRestaurant
Founded1922
FounderTroy Baucom
Headquarters
Huntsville
,
United States
ProductsHamburgers, hot dogs, beanless chili, Brunswick stew, slaw dogs, fried bologna biscuits

Big Spring Cafe is a diner located in Huntsville, Alabama, established in 1922 and recognized as the oldest dining establishment in the city.[1][2] It holds status as a notable local landmark and is regarded as one of Huntsville's most iconic restaurants.[3][4] The original menu was limited to hamburgers consisting of ground beef, onions, mustard, and salt served on a roll.[2]

History

The Big Spring Cafe first began operations in 1922 at 119 Jefferson Street inside a railroad boxcar near the Big Spring Canal.[5][6] Subsequently, it relocated to 115 Gallatin Street—currently where the Von Braun Center parking garage stands—and then moved again in 1970 to Governors Drive.[7] This venue featured seating with 16 bar stools and two elongated tables. In April 2017, the establishment shifted approximately half a mile west along Governors Drive into a newly built facility designed to mimic the original interior ambiance.

Originally founded by Troy Baucom in spring 1922 downtown,[2] the cafe was acquired by Hazel Beene in 1946. As commercial activity transitioned from downtown toward the Memorial Parkway corridor, the restaurant followed suit by relocating in 1970. Ownership passed two years later to Beene’s sister and brother-in-law, Doris and Howard Cowley.[5] The Cowleys managed the cafe until its sale to their daughter, Pam Milam, in 1992.[8] Facing an aging structure, Milam announced plans in 2008 to move Big Spring Cafe further west on Governors Drive while maintaining its classic interior design; this relocation was finalized in April 2017.[8]

Cuisine

At its inception in 1928, the establishment's menu consisted solely of hamburgers prepared with ground beef, salt, mustard, and onions on a roll. The present-day location, situated between a meat market and a bait shop, operates six days weekly serving breakfast and lunch but remains closed on Sundays. Its menu includes traditional diner offerings such as hamburgers, hot dogs, and beanless chili, along with Southern favorites like Brunswick stew, various styles of slaw dogs, and fried bologna biscuits. The diner employs a distinctive ordering system: a "hamburger with cheese" comes with mustard and onions on a square bun, whereas ordering a "cheeseburger" adds lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise served on a round bun. A bowl blending equal portions of chili and Brunswick stew is referred to as "half and half," with a version slightly heavier on chili called "60–40."

  1. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named ht980329
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named ht080731
  3. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named ht931021
  4. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named ht020509
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named ht110823
  6. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named ht990718
  7. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named ht960215
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named ht080313
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