Editor’s note: Part 18 of an occasional series about Casual and Fine Dining.
By Raymond G. Hebert, PhD
Special to NKyTribune
In a recent issue of “Our Rich History,” I recounted the story of the historic Tousey House in Burlington. With its more than 200-year-old building, the Tousey House Restaurant — owned and managed by the Wainscott Family — is famous for its fried chicken and other delicious dishes.
Just doors from the Tousey House is the Washington Square Restaurant. Joe Malje and his wife defied the odds during the COVID 19 pandemic by opening the business, because “they saw an opportunity to bring some new life to the [Washington Square] restaurant while preserving the history of the building.”
As recounted by author Lauren Minor, the Washington Square was built in 1817 and is the oldest brick structure in Burlington where (is located) the original Joseph Graves House… Graves served as the Boone County Sheriff from 1820-1822” (Lauren Minor, “NKY Couple Opens Business during the Pandemic,” Watch Live, April 30, 2021).
In 2020 the popular “Only in Your State” column featured Washington Square, emphasizing the quaintness of the community and its Burlington Antique Show. The author, Andrea Limke, assured readers that we would “love the delicious menus, cozy atmosphere, and friendly service” (Andrea Limke, “A Charming Restaurant In the Heart of an Antiquing Paradise, Washington Square Café Is a Delight,” Only In Your State, January 5, 2020).
Limke concludes with a strong recommendation to her readers about how there should be no need to wait for an April-October antiquing weekend to stop by. Instead, “they should stop by this charming restaurant for a delicious meal any time of the year.”
Meanwhile, on the other side of the courthouse, described as “between the Boone County Administration building and the Boone County Justice Center,” was a longtime favorite that closed in 2015 after the death of its sole remaining founder, Henry Nunn. Nunn died on August 24, 2015, and “The Little Place” closed soon afterward, after 44 years in business. Looking back, there had been several touching articles that remind us how special The Little Place was to so many in Boone County. A Cincinnati Enquirer review in 2000 had emphasized that this unique place was, “Burlington’s only family restaurant… with reasonable prices for over 30 years.” As noted by the author, “patrons won’t find tofu, but they will see a menu of old fashioned cookin’ and get a dose of southern hospitality” (Kristina Goetz, “Little Place Like Home” – “Reluctant Spender,”Cincinnati Enquirer, December 22, 2000, p. 106).
The Enquirer article focuses on comments from a series of “afternoon regulars” who shared why this quaint diner meant so much to them: “most of the food is home-cooked”; “Dad still does all the cooking” [Henry Nunn]; “there is always a full bar available” and, interestingly, “it’s the Crow’s Nest that is the best seller: two eggs with a choice of meat and melted cheese on a nest of hash browns.”
In an interesting side story, after the closing, many Boone County Courthouse workers petitioned Kenton County’s “PeeWee’s Place, which they later frequented, to add the Crow’s Nest to their menu. To this day, said PeeWee Reese, it is one of their best-selling breakfast items. Later in the Goetz article, the regulars insisted that trying the fried chicken should be “a must, this greasy, yummy treat… deep fried and tasty, just like Mom used to make.” The desserts were praised, and especially “the smooth Kentucky silk pie and coconut cream pie” but most important of all to them was the family aspect that was its unique feature: “this one is fully family-run… Everybody’s got a hand in it, even the grandkids” (Goetz).
On the occasion of the Little Place Diner’s 35th anniversary, Karen Meiman wrote about Tom Bushelman Jr. and his Bluegrass band, the Woolper Mountain Boys, and how The Little Place Diner was an inspiration to them. Other regulars like Parker and Buster sat after a meal there and “solved the world’s problems.” The sad theme of her article was that the Nunns (Henry and Estelle) had “made the decision to place The Little Place on the market… (while) it is still a thriving business.” They added that “it will be sad if we find a buyer (but) we could still be open for the next ten years” (Karen Meiman, “Dishing it out for 35 years,” Cincinnati Post, August 14, 2007, p. 13).
Sadly, nine years later in its 44th year of business, the death of Henry Nunn (August 24, 2015) resulted in the most dramatic change, the closing of the special diner called “The Little Place.” Amy Scalf’s tribute article opened:
“Something is missing in the heart of Burlington.”
Scalf interviewed Gina Bell, the Nunn’s daughter, and many of the regulars she had invited in for a special lunch to remember the parents. “They talked about their favorite foods . . . about Henry’s crazy shirts, many turned into pillows… and the family atmosphere that would be missed” (Amy Scalf, “Burlington’s Little Place Restaurant Closed,” Cincinnati Enquirer, October 1, 2015, pp. A1, A2). Scalf mentions in her conclusion that Estelle had died in 2010, and Henry was not the same afterwards, even living at the restaurant, with “his red pickup truck rarely not being seen by the door.” His cancer diagnosis followed in 2012, and he died at 82 years old in 2015. The daughter reminded readers that her parents “started with $12 (and a dream)” (Scalf, p.2A).
Looking back on the importance of the Boone County courthouse building and to the surrounding “Historic Burlington” community, the conclusion I reach is that much of the culture and the community’s reputation for hospitality comes from its dining establishments, from The Little Place, to Washington Square Restaurant, and to the Tousey House. Maybe it is time to see for yourself what “Historic Burlington” has to offer.
Dr. Raymond G. Hebert is Professor of History and Executive Director of the William T. Robinson III Institute for Religious Liberty at Thomas More University. He is the leading author of Thomas More University at 100: Purpose, People, and Pathways to Student Success (2023). The book can be purchased by contacting the Thomas More University Bookstore at 859-344-3335. Dr. Hebert can be contacted at hebertr@thomasmore.edu.
Paul A. Tenkotte, PhD is Editor of the “Our Rich History” weekly series and Professor of History at Northern Kentucky University (NKU). He can be contacted at tenkottep@nku.edu. Tenkotte also serves as Director of the ORVILLE Project (Ohio River Valley Innovation Library and Learning Engagement). For more information see https://orvillelearning.org/