Kitchen Dick Road

Between Sequim and Port Angeles US Route 101 intersects one of the most strangely named roads in the country; Kitchen Dick Road.

The origins of the "Kitchen Dick" part of Kitchen Dick Road are unknown. However, give that Kitchen Dick Road happens to intersect Woodcock Road north of US 101 it would seem likely the naming is intentional. Kitchen Dick Road is a north/south road approximately 3 miles in length which ends at the Dungeness County Park. A Google Street View image of Kitchen Dick Road and Woodcock Road can be found here:

Kitchen Dick and Woodcock

I first spotted Kitchen Dick Road while visiting Olympic National Park in 2015. I vaguely recalled it being present in 2018 when I noticed it on my GPS. Apparently the junction of Kitchen Dick Road and Woodcock Road is popular not only for photos but for theft as well. A Kitchen Dick Road sign appeared on eBay earlier this year but had a high sale price nearing $200 dollars.

Update 5/27/18: I was provided some links to the Sequim area from; 1940, 1970 and 1995 by NE2 of AAroads which provide insight about where naming of Kitchen Dick Road likely came from.

On this 1940 map there is a plot of land owned by a "W. Dick" on what is now Kitchen Dick Road. Incidentally there is also a land owner by the name of "Sam Woodcock" along what is now Woodcock Road.

1940 Sequim Historical Map

In 1970 Kitchen Dick Road is shown as "Dick Lane." There is also a small plot of land at Dick Lane and US 101 owned by "D.B. Kitchen."

1970 Sequim Historical Map

In 1995 Kitchen Dick road was known as "Bill Dick Road."

1995 Sequim Historical Map

Comments

Unknown said…

Hi! The road was actually named for the two families that lived on opposite ends of the road. Hello from the dick half of the name :)

6:33 PM

AHURA-MAZDA said…

That fits with what I heard from the Kitchen family. When I was in FFA I use to buy my Steers from them. Though she did say it was originally Kitchen but to honor both families Dick was added.

5:26 AM

The 1915-era Teilman Bridge (the only known Concrete Pony Truss Bridge in California)

The Teilman Bridge is a semi-abandoned structure over Fresno Slough west of Burrell siding near the intersection of Elkhorn Avenue and Elkhorn Grade. This structure is the only known Concrete Pony Truss Bridge constructed in California and was designed by Ingvart Teilman. Teilman's Bridge would open in late 1915 when the Elkhorn Grade was the primary road between Fresno and Coalinga. The structure would be replaced in 1991 but was left standing as it carries pipelines over Fresno Slough. Part 1; the history of the Teilman Bridge In the early Twentieth Century the most direct highway between Fresno and Coalinga followed the Elkhorn Grade. The Elkhorn Grade began at Fresno Slough a short distance west of Burrell siding. From Fresno Slough the Elkhorn Grade followed a generally southwestern course through San Joaquin Valley into the Kettleman Hills towards Coalinga. The Elkhorn Grade can be seen on the 1914 C.F. Weber map of Fresno Coun...

The Dummy Lights of New York

A relic of the early days of motoring, dummy lights were traffic lights that were placed in the middle of a street intersection. In those early days, traffic shuffled through busy intersections with the help of a police officer who stood on top of a pedestal. As technology improved and electric traffic signals became commonplace, they were also originally positioned on a platform at the center of the intersection. Those traffic signals became known as " dummy lights " and were common until traffic lights were moved onto wires and poles that crossed above the intersection. In New York State, only a handful of these dummy lights exist. The dummy lights are found in the Hudson Valley towns of Beacon and Croton-on-Hudson, plus there is an ongoing tug of war in Canajoharie in the Mohawk Valley, where their dummy light has been knocked down and replaced a few times. The dummy light in Canajoharie is currently...

Prunedale Road (Monterey County)

Prunedale Road is a short 2.6-mile-long frontage corridor of US Route 101 in the namesake Monterey County community of Prunedale. Prior to 1932 US Route 101 bypassed Prunedale in favor of the San Juan Grade to the east. Prunedale Road along with nearby Moro Road served as an alternative connecting highway between Salinas and San Juan Bautista. Following the realignment of US Route 101 onto the Prunedale Cutoff the former through route along Prunedale Road would be rendered as a western frontage. Part 1; the history of Prunedale Road Prunedale Road is located in and is named after the Monterey County community of Prunedale. Said community was founded near the junction of San Migeul Canyon, Langley Canyon and Echo Valley. Watsonville settler Charles Langley (namesake of Langley Canyon) was one of the prominent early community settlers. The Prunedale Post Office would open for the first time in 1894 but would close by 1908. Early agricu...

Gribblenation

Search This Blog