Grand Terrace is a city in San Bernardino County, California, in the Inland Empire, set between Riverside and San Bernardino along the Interstate 215 and Agua Mansa industrial corridors. Its geography defines it: the city occupies an elevated terrace between two ridges, Blue Mountain to the east and the La Loma Hills to the west, with the Santa Ana River bordering part of its northwestern edge. That high setting is the source of the name — the area was first called simply "the Terrace" for its elevation, and the word "Grand" was added around 1898 for the panoramic views. The community's modern form came later. Seventh-day Adventists settled the area in the early 1900s, establishing ties to the institution that became Loma Linda University nearby, and the area grew as a residential suburb of the surrounding cities. Grand Terrace incorporated as a city in 1978 and has since built a reputation as a quiet, low-traffic, family-oriented community — small in footprint at under four square miles, but centrally located. The city's population is about 13,150, and it is served by the Colton Joint Unified School District, with elementary schools and Grand Terrace High School within its limits. Its position along Interstate 215 puts it roughly six miles from both downtown Riverside and downtown San Bernardino, close to the University of California, Riverside, and about 20 miles from Ontario International Airport. Grand Terrace suits people who want a compact, hillside suburban community with a small-town feel, local schools, and mountain views — while staying minutes from two Inland Empire downtowns and the freeway network that connects to the wider Southern California economy.