Preston, California

Preston is an unincorporated community in Sonoma County, California, United States. The community is on U.S. Route 101 north of Cloverdale.

History

Preston derives its name from Madame Emily Preston, a faith healer who established a religious colony and health resort at her husband's ranch in 1875. Revenue from Preston's ministry and the settlement of followers in the area led to the construction of a church, railroad depot, post office, and a commercial district on both sides of the Russian River. The community began a slow decline after Preston's death in 1909, continuing to hold services into the 1940s.
Most of the buildings associated with the Preston community were destroyed in a wildfire in 1988.