Preston is an
unincorporated community
An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either have ...
located in
Okmulgee County
Okmulgee County is a county in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of the 2010 census, the population was 40,069. The county seat is Okmulgee. Located within the Muscogee Nation Reservation, the county was created at statehood in 1907. The name O ...
,
Oklahoma
Oklahoma (; Choctaw language, Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the nor ...
, United States. The post office was established December 13, 1909. It was named for an Okmulgee oilman, Harry Preston.
First known as Hamilton Switch,
and now unrecognizable from the past, Preston was once a highly prosperous community, thriving mainly from the
oil boom
An oil boom is a period of large inflow of income as a result of high global oil prices or large oil production in an economy. Generally, this short period initially brings economic benefits, in terms of increased GDP growth, but might later lead ...
, as did many of the surrounding communities. Later on, as the oil industry quieted in Preston, it served as a station for restocking trains and running cattle trails, loading water from Frisco Lake. Many remnants of the station may be found throughout parts of Preston. Many old cattle trails and roads, though overgrown, are still distinguishable as such due to the heavy use and traffic.
It currently has two schools, three churches, a single gas station, feed store, a heating and air company, and a hair salon, as well as a fire protection business and the offices of Oklahoma Rural Water District No. 2.
Demographics
Education
Preston Public School is the school district serving the town.
Transportation
Preston is served by
U.S. Route 75
U.S. Route 75 is a major north–south United States Numbered Highways, U.S. Highway that extends in the central United States. The highway's northern terminus is in Noyes, Minnesota, at the Canada–United States border, Canadian border, wh ...
,
a major national north/south artery for much of its length, currently running from the Canada–US border at
Noyes, Minnesota
Noyes is an unincorporated community in St. Vincent Township, Kittson County, Minnesota, United States. Located in the extreme northwestern corner of the state on the Canada–United States border, Noyes is the northern terminus of U.S. Highwa ...
to
Dallas
Dallas () is the List of municipalities in Texas, third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of metropolitan statistical areas, fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 ...
.
Preston is also on Old Highway 75, being the previous two-lane alignment of US-75 running north to
Beggs and south to
Okmulgee.
References
External links
* https://www.facebook.com/PrestonOKVFD Preston Volunteer Fire Department
Unincorporated communities in Okmulgee County, Oklahoma
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