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The Stranded Cow Grand Opening Monday, July 2 527 North 6th St. 2 p.m. 575.0020 Refreshments  Breakfast and Lunch Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday 7 a.m.-3 p.m. Brunch Sundays 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Dinner Each second Saturday of the month |
The Heberts offer excellent food, service and catering, beautifully decorated indoor and outdoor dining and gorgeous jewelry and art for sale. But at least a smidgen of their success has to be connected to the good karma of the Cow House, itself. You see, the Cow House offered safe haven for Bossie the Cow during Paducah’s devastating 1937 flood.
Longtime Paducah residents recall that freezing January when 18 inches of rain fell Noah’s Ark-style in more than two weeks. The Ohio River swelled to seven miles wide. About 27,000 residents had to leave their homes. Everyone, frankly, was in a world-of-hurt.
Jimmy L. Huston was 22 years old then. He lived with his mother and aunt at 527 North 6 St., now the home of The Stranded Cow. Before the waters reached the house, Jimmy was able to rescue his Uncle Frank’s brown milk cow, Bossie. He first parked Bossie in the old wooden garage out back. As the waters crept up, he moved her to the back porch. Within a few days, the rising waters forced Jimmy, Bossie and 20 flooded-out family members and friends – not to mention a dozen chickens – to seek refuge up the second floor.
When the river crested at 60.8 feet – the highest ever recorded – the family and friends finally had to evacuate, leaving poor Bossie behind. (We’re not sure what happened to the chickens.) The Coast Guard came by boat every day to milk Bossie and toss in some fresh hay and feed.
After the waters finally settled down, Uncle Frank had to grab Bossie by the tail to encourage her back home. “I will say that her tail never looked quite the same – kinda hung at an angle, you might say,” Jimmy wrote in April 2000.
Three known photos exist of Bossie on the balcony. One was published in the June 1937 National Geographic magazine, forever associating Bossie on the balcony with the 1937 flood.
The Heberts have devoted the past two years renovating the house and preparing the restaurant. Grace says that, from time to time, she senses Bossie’s presence. Just last week after one of our infamous 20-minute downpours, a rainbow encircled the house. “I’ve never seen anything like it,” Grace says.
Sounds like more good karma to us!
Be sure to stop by the July 2 grand opening festivities. Jimmy’s widow Evelyn and their daughter will join the Heberts and all of us in celebrating the next phase of the Cow House.
