Intro | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
2. The Corn House/Biscuit Love (132 3rd Avenue South)
ABOUT THE CORN HOUSE:
Food and entertainment run deep in the history of the Corn House. A Confederate soldier with the last name of Atwood built the original structure, which burned and was rebuilt in 1892, but the house is named for the Corn family who bought it in 1920 and lived there for more 60 years. Charlie H. Corn was the co-owner of the lucrative Lillie Mills, a position that made him one of the richest men in town at that time. He was well-loved and known to invite friends over for drinks during Prohibition.
In 2002, the Queen Anne style house was turned into a special event venue called “Lillie Belle’s.” The owners preserved many of the original interior finishes, such as the hardwood floors. After Lillie Belle’s closed, Biscuit Love—a food truck turned brick-and-mortar restaurant—opened its newest location here in early 2018.
WHY I LOVE THIS HOUSE:
I’ve never been one to pass up a plate of biscuits and gravy, but that’s not the only reason the Corn House made my list. The home’s namesake Charlie Corn was apparently quite a character, known for his playful one-liners, and I love the idea of a 19th century jokester. Though I don’t condone heavy drinking in the least, I did have a laugh about a story involving Charlie’s affinity for alcohol. According to Williamson County Historian Rick Warwick, Charlie’s daughter Ruth was driving him over a country bridge when their car began to teeter dangerously over one side. During the ensuing panic, Charlie asked Ruth to hand him his alcohol, but she protested, “Oh Daddy, you don’t want to die with liquor on your breath!” Charlie responded, “Well, if I die, I won’t have any breath. Hand over the bottle.” (And for clarity’s sake, I want to add that they both survived the incident.)
