Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Most of Preston was built recently: 9% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1975. Below: maps from 1884 on and the census since 1880.
Preston dates its founding to 1857 (Wikipedia’s history). The census first counted it in 1880.
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Preston’s history is told.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Preston. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Preston.
Peaked at 223 in 2010; 157 people lived here in 2020.
9 censuses, 1880–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Preston’s Wikipedia page.
From Wikipedia’s history of Preston.
Preston was platted in 1857. Some say the community was named after Samuel Preston, a pioneer citizen, while others believe the name is a transfer from Preston, Pennsylvania. A post office called Preston has been in operation since 1881.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological SurveyNobody well known was born in Preston itself, so here are the best known from just nearby.
In 1857, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. Preston’s post office opened in 1881, and the census of 1880 counted 32 people here.
What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021). How TownRatings grades history →
From Wikimedia Commons (1), Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
2004
