Preston School of Industry facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Preston Castle
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Location in California Show map of California Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Nearest city	Ione, California
Built	1890
Architect	Schulze, Henry A.
Architectural style	Romanesque
NRHP reference No.	75000422
Added to NRHP	July 30, 1975

The Preston School of Industry, also known as Preston Castle, was a reform school located in Ione, California, in Amador County. It was proposed by, and ultimately named after, state senator Edward Myers Preston. The cornerstone was laid in December 1890, and the institution was opened in June 1894 when seven wards (minors under the guardianship of the state, but not necessarily juvenile offenders), were transferred there from San Quentin State Prison. It is considered one of the oldest and best-known reform schools in the United States.

Preston School and Director C.B. Riddick in 1900

The original building, known colloquially as "Preston Castle" (or simply "The Castle"), is the most significant example of Romanesque Revival architecture in the Mother Lode. This building was vacated in 1960, shortly after new buildings had been constructed to replace it, and has since been named a California Historical Landmark (#867), and listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NPS-75000422).

In 1999, the institution's official name, applied to the newer 1960 buildings, was changed to the "Preston Youth Correctional Facility".

In 2010, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation announced that the facility was to close, and a closing ceremony was held on June 2, 2011.

Former wards

Preston Castle in Ione, California, built in the latter half of the 19th century.

Former Preston wards include:

• Eddie Anderson
• Rory Calhoun
• Don Jordan
• Eddie Machen
• Merle Haggard
• Pancho Gonzales
• Neal Cassady
• Tony Cornero
• Caryl Chessman
• Joseph Paul Cretzer
• Eddie Bunker
• Brad Higgins