Welcome to L.A. Street Names, the origin stories of street names across Los Angeles County, from the shortest cul-de-sacs to the longest boulevards. Mysteries solved, myths debunked, scandals exposed, history revealed. This is an ongoing project with more than 1,800 streets – and growing. See FAQ for more information.
Featured Major Street
City Terrace Drive
The 600 acre City Terrace subdivision was opened for sales in October 1923 by Walter H. Leimert (1877-1970), a big-time real estate operator from Oakland who had relocated to Los Angeles earlier that year. (His first Southland development was Bellehurst Park in northeast Glendale; his most famous one, Leimert Park, opened in 1927.) Leimert spared no expense when it came to advertising his ventures, and he promoted City Terrace with weeks of full-page ads in all the local newspapers. This street itself was part of Ramona Boulevard until 1937, when it was renamed City Terrace Drive.