Preston, Wharton County, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Preston, Texas
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 Preston, Texas
Location in Texas
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| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | Wharton |
| Elevation | 85 ft (26 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
77488
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| Area code(s) | 979 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1359877 |
Preston is a ghost town in Wharton County, Texas. A ghost town is a place where people used to live, but now it's mostly empty. Preston was once a small settlement near an important old trail. It even had a post office for a while. Today, the only thing left is an old cemetery.
Preston's Early Days
On February 5, 1838, an advertisement appeared in a newspaper called the Matagorda Bulletin. This was less than two years after the Republic of Texas was formed. The ad said that land lots were for sale in a new town called Preston.
The people selling the land were D. D. D. Baker, John Huff, and Charles DeMorse. John Huff was one of the Old Three Hundred. These were the first families allowed to settle in Texas when it was still part of Mexico. Baker was a hero from the Battle of San Jacinto. DeMorse was a lawyer.
Preston was planned to be about 4.5 miles (7.2 km) from the Colorado River. It was also about 2.5 miles (4 km) from Caney Creek. The town was on a main north-south trail. This trail went from Matagorda to Bastrop. There was also a road east to Houston.
The people who started Preston thought it would be a great place for a new county seat. A county seat is the main town where the government offices are. They even promised to build a brick factory. This would help build new houses and buildings.
Post Office and Cemetery
A post office opened in Preston in 1839. John Huff, one of the founders, was the first postmaster. However, the post office closed down in 1857. This means the town likely started to shrink around that time.
Today, the only sign that Preston ever existed is an old cemetery. It is located near Farm to Market Road 1096, south of Iago. The cemetery has nine graves. Some of the people buried there include Eliza Merrit (died 1851) and Tilson C. Barden (died 1877). There are also three members of the Bradshaw family and four members of the Thompson family. They died between 1845 and 1860.
Where Preston Was Located
The old town site of Preston was in an area called the John Huff league. It was about 8 miles (13 km) south of Wharton. Today, it's near Farm to Market Road 1096.
In 1990, the cemetery was not in good condition. If you travel south of Iago, FM 1096 goes southwest. Then it curves northwest before meeting Farm to Market Road 3012.
