Let's talk about Chicken Dinner Road out in Nampa? What, did a rancher get hungry on a Sunday?- Donna via e-mail
I wonder how "Chicken Dinner Road" west of Nampa got its name- Clyde via e-mail
How did Chicken Dinner road in Canyon County get its name?- SBC via e-mail
Chicken Dinner Road are you hungry yet? Let's talk turkey - or at least Chicken Dinner.
One of the area's most famous boulevards is Chicken Dinner Road - a mostly rural stretch in Canyon County west of Nampa.
After a week of calls to development and road officials in Nampa - I was directed to a story by the Idaho Press Tribune's famous Ida Chatter. She got to the bottom of the dinner table-worthy tale by digging up an IPT item from more than 16 years ago.
The story starts with Morris B. and Laura Lamb - who lived along the road in the 1930s. They were close friends of Idaho Governor C. Ben Ross - who came out to their home one night for dinner. On the menu? Lamb's famous fried chicken, apple pie and hot rolls.
Mrs. Lamb mentioned the poor condition of the road to the state's top official - and Ross made a deal. If Lamb could convince the county to get it graded and graveled, the governor would ensure it was oiled.
So Lamb went to the county commission and got help with her end of the bargain, and Ross stuck to his word.
The common story is that the chicken dinner Lamb served to Ross was the reason for the name - but there's a twist.
Vandals may have actually helped the story along. Lamb's daughter Ada Hamilton spelled out the story for the Idaho Press Tribune all those years ago:
"The day after Halloween momma went out to get the mail and came back mad as a wet hen," said Hamilton.
Someone had painted the words "Lamb's Chicken Dinner Avenue" in big bright letters on the freshly-oiled road
School children riding the school bus took up the chant "Chicken Dinner, Chicken Dinner," as they passed the house. The name stuck
That's right - the road's name came after Mrs. Lamb was 'mad as a hen,' at a chicken dinner sign.
