San Bernardino County history: Grand Terrace – Welcome to San Bernardino County

The orange crate label used by the Blue Mountain packing house from about 1890 to 1912.

The Grand Terrace Chamber of Commerce played a pivotal role in transforming a small agricultural community to a thriving city that eventually became incorporated in 1978.

The history of Grand Terrace dates back to the 1800s. Land grants were established in the area between 1830 and 1840. Mormon settlers arrived in the San Bernardino Valley during the 1850s, and by 1876, there were nine buildings in the Colton-Terrace area. In 1877, the Colton-Terrace Water Company began transporting water from artesian wells into the area, which caused further development.

Originally, the area was simply referred to as “The Terrace” due to its high elevation. Its highest point is Blue Mountain at over 2,300 feet. By 1904, Charles Patton and M.L. Howell purchased 300 acres and divided the land into sections ranging from 8 to 20 acres and named their tract Grand Terrace.

The construction of the Gage Canal, a 22.5-mile waterway built at a cost of $2 million, further accelerated development in the region by distributing water from the Santa Ana River marshlands below Grand Terrace. With plenty of irrigation water, Grand Terrace became an agricultural community featuring good quality citrus. However, the severe freeze of 1913 destroyed many groves and other crops like walnuts and peaches were planted in its place.

Grand Terrace, which was known as South Colton for many years, experienced continued growth and development during the late half of the 20th century. In 1962, the Grand Terrace Chamber of Commerce was established. This group played a pivotal role in preserving the local identity of the area and became a strong supporter of cityhood.

The group’s advocacy laid the groundwork for the creation of the Municipal Advisory Council in 1976, which was the area’s governing body. After nearly two years of meetings and negotiations with the county, the residents of Grand Terrace went to the polls and 82 percent of the vote was in favor of incorporation.

On Nov. 30, 1978, Grand Terrace was officially incorporated. One of its many accomplishments include being named one of the “Top 100 Cities to Live in” by Money magazine in 2007. Today, the city is home to over 12,000 people.

The information in this historical feature was originally part of a video series produced by the Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk’s office.

Additional County Update News – June 26, 2025