Old Hickory Bar-B-Que

Early History

In 1918, Old Hickory Bar-B-Que evolved from Charles “Pappy” Foreman’s blacksmith shop on the corner of 25th Street and Frederica Street in Owensboro, Kentucky. At that time this location was on the edge of town and was the end of the line destination for a Sunday afternoon drive.

“Pappy” Foreman started cooking at this location for church picnics. Being a blacksmith, it must have been relatively easy to build a “pit” for barbecuing. The front of the shop became a waiting area for his customers, with a picnic table in the pit room. He decided to cook, sell, and serve his barbecue as a service to his customers.

The business survived the Great Depression of the 1930’s. Before “Pappy” died in 1941, his son, Landrum Foreman worked with him in the restaurant. The restaurant closed during WWII and did not reopen until 1953, by Landrum’s son, Harl Foreman Sr.

Second Building

In 1960, it was decided that Frederica Street needed to be widened and the original location was torn down. A new building was built several yards away on Washington Avenue with 28 seats and carry out.

Harl Foreman, Jr. assumed part ownership, taking over management in 1979. One of the 3 employees, Jeff Moss, a high school student at the time, is still on staff as a manager.

Third Building

The business grew steadily and in 1982 an adjacent building was rented and the seating increased from 28 to 54 seats. In 1986, after 60 years of growth, a new building was built across the street on Washington Avenue.

Source: Daviess County Kentucky, Celebrating our Heritage 1815-2015, M.T. Publishing Company, Inc