Corbin Avenue is one of the longest streets in the San Fernando Valley. You can drive it from just above Ventura Boulevard all the way north to Tarzana. Just as long is the history behind Corbin. Who was he?

Bill Robertson says, "W. H. Corbin was a Valley grain dealer."

Robertson is director of L.A.'s Bureau of Street Services. He says the street was originally called Pine, but that changed in 1917. Someone apparently spread some gold around at City Hall and Pine suddenly became Corbin.

"It's pretty tough to get a name changed on a street these days," he says. "It's a quite lengthy process. Well, back in those days, it was just contacting somebody at City Hall and say 'I need to change this name,' and if you had the influence, I'm sure it was a done deal and they got it through."

Back then, L.A.'s streets weren't paved with gold, but the street names were.

(Airdate: 1/4/2009)