About Preston
Preston sits in the far south-eastern corner of Richardson County, within the Sac and Fox Reservation. It is one of the smallest incorporated places in Nebraska: 19 residents at the 2020 census, down from 28 in 2010 and 50 in 2000. The village covers about 0.06 square miles. The Big Nemaha River runs north of the village, and Margrave State Wildlife Management Area lies a few miles to the south-east.
History
Preston was platted in 1878, when the Atchison and Nebraska Railroad was extended to the area. Philip R. Shelly built a store and applied for a post office in February 1880. A post office had operated nearby as the Sac Post Office since 1874; it took the Preston name in 1881, and the town was officially named Preston on 23 June 1881. An earlier proposal, Blufton, was rejected. James Eatough, who worked for Shelly and had come from Preston, England, suggested the name that stuck. The population peaked at about 150 in 1890.
Decline
A cyclone on 17 May 1896 did severe damage, and fires struck in 1891 and 1903. As roads improved, residents shopped in Falls City instead. The high school closed in 1928 and the elementary school later merged with Falls City. The depot closed in 1953, and the post office became a rural branch in 1974.
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Preston is a village in Richardson County, Nebraska, platted between 1878 and 1881 in the county's far southeastern corner. It's named for Preston, England, suggested by an employee of founder Philip R. Shelly after an earlier proposed name, "Blufton," turned out to already be taken.
Preston's population peaked at 150 in 1890 and has since declined to just 19 residents at the 2020 Census, making it one of the smallest incorporated villages in Nebraska.
Navigate & Explore Preston
Get directions: search "Preston Nebraska" in Waze or Google Maps
Road Conditions: Nebraska 511 — 511.nebraska.gov
Richardson County Cameras: View Richardson County cameras