There's a badly-spelled street in La Canada called Alta Canyada Road. Filmmaker John Newcombe says that was the name of the Hall family's ranch.

Newcombe produced the documentary "Rancho La Canada: Then and Now." He says in the 1890s, brothers Tom and Sam Hall teamed up for the battle of La Canada. A group of students had begun using the schoolhouse for Saturday night dances.

"There was a split in La Canada where the town split in half over the issue of whether they were going to allow dancing in the schools. And this was the waltz, we're talking. But a lot of them considered it immoral."

Especially since the building where the dances were held also housed the town's only church. The Hall brothers were on the pro-dance side. Sam even provided some of the music. A vote would decide the issue.

Just before the polls closed, Tom pulled up in a wagon filled with his Mexican ranch hands. He insisted they be allowed to cast ballots – and they did. The waltz won, but the town split into La Canada and La Crescenta.

(Airdate: 4/12/2009)