Big Spring Cafe facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Big Spring Cafe |
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Big Spring Cafe in April 2011
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| Restaurant information | |
| Established | 1922 |
| Current owner(s) | Pam Milam |
| Food type | Diner |
| Dress code | Casual |
| Street address | 3507 Governors Drive SW |
| City | Huntsville |
| County | Madison |
| State | Alabama |
| Postal/ZIP code | 35805-3723 |
| Country | United States |
| Coordinates | 34°43′14″N 86°36′17″W / 34.720486°N 86.604806°W |
| Seating capacity | 2 tables, 16 bar stools |
| Reservations | No |
Big Spring Cafe is a super old and famous diner in Huntsville, Alabama. It first opened its doors way back in 1922. This makes it the oldest restaurant in the entire city! People often think of it as a special landmark and one of Huntsville's most well-known places to eat. When it first started, it only sold simple hamburgers. These burgers had ground beef, onions, mustard, and salt on a roll.
Contents
History of Big Spring Cafe
Where It All Began
The very first Big Spring Cafe opened in the spring of 1922. It was located at 119 Jefferson Street in downtown Huntsville. Imagine this: the restaurant was actually inside an old railroad boxcar! It sat near the Big Spring Canal.
Moving to New Spots
Over the years, the cafe moved a few times. First, it went to 115 Gallatin Street. Today, the Von Braun Center parking garage is in that spot. Then, in 1970, it moved to Governors Drive. This location had 16 bar stools at a counter and two long tables for customers.
In April 2017, the family moved the diner again. They built a brand new building about half a mile west, still on Governors Drive. They made sure the new place looked just like the old one inside!
Who Owned the Cafe?
Troy Baucom was the person who first opened Big Spring Cafe. That was in 1922. In 1946, he sold the restaurant to Hazel Beene. As other businesses moved away from downtown, the cafe followed in 1970.
Two years later, in 1972, Hazel Beene gave the restaurant to her sister and brother-in-law, Doris and Howard Cowley. They ran Big Spring Cafe until 1992. Then, they sold it to their daughter, Pam Milam. Pam Milam is the current owner. She decided to move the cafe to its new building in 2017 because the old one was getting very old.
Delicious Food at Big Spring Cafe
The Original Menu
When Big Spring Cafe first opened in 1928, the menu was super simple. They only served hamburgers! These burgers were made with ground beef, salt, mustard, and onions on a roll.
What's on the Menu Now?
Today, the cafe is located between a meat market and a bait shop. It serves both breakfast and lunch six days a week. It is closed on Sundays. The menu now has lots of classic diner foods. You can find hamburgers, hot dogs, and chili without beans.
They also serve Southern specialties. These include Brunswick stew, slaw dogs, and fried bologna biscuits.
Special Ways to Order
Big Spring Cafe even has its own special language for ordering some items!
- If you ask for a "hamburger with cheese," you get a ground beef patty with mustard and onions on a square bun.
- But if you ask for a "cheeseburger," you get a ground beef patty with lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise on a round bun.
- A bowl with equal parts chili and Brunswick stew is called "half and half."
- If you want a little more chili in that mix, you order a "60–40."
See also
- List of hamburger restaurants
- List of Southern restaurants
