Preston, Idaho
Encyclopedia
Preston is a city in Franklin County
Franklin County, Idaho
Franklin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Idaho. As of the 2000 Census the county had a population of 11,329 . The county seat and largest city is Preston. Franklin County is part of the Logan, Utah-Idaho Metropolitan Statistical Area.Established in 1913, Franklin County was named...

, Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....

, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. The population was 4,682 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....

 of Franklin County
Franklin County, Idaho
Franklin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Idaho. As of the 2000 Census the county had a population of 11,329 . The county seat and largest city is Preston. Franklin County is part of the Logan, Utah-Idaho Metropolitan Statistical Area.Established in 1913, Franklin County was named...

. It is part of the Logan
Logan, Utah
-Layout of the City:Logan's city grid originates from its Main and Center Street block, with Main Street running north and south, and Center east and west. Each block north, east, south, or west of the origin accumulates in additions of 100 , though some streets have non-numeric names...

, Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...

-Idaho Metropolitan Statistical Area
Logan metropolitan area
The Logan Metropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of two counties – one in Utah and one in Idaho, anchored by the city of Logan...

.

History

The Bear River Massacre
Bear River Massacre
The Bear River Massacre, or the Battle of Bear River and the Massacre at Boa Ogoi, took place in present-day Idaho on January 29, 1863. The United States Army attacked Shoshone gathered at the confluence of the Bear River and Beaver Creek in what was then southeastern Washington Territory. The...

 occurred in 1863 at a point a few miles northwest of Preston. The Bear River Massacre Site
Bear River Massacre Site
Bear River Massacre Site, near Preston, Idaho, is the site of the Bear River Massacre, in which a village of Shoshone Native Americans were attacked by the California Volunteers on January 29, 1863. Estimates of Shoshone casualties are as high as 384...

 is a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...

.

In 1866, [LDS] pioneers arrived in the northern end of the Cache Valley
Cache Valley
The Cache Valley is an agricultural valley of northern Utah and southeast Idaho that includes the Logan metropolitan area. The valley was used by 19th century mountain men and was the site of the 1863 Bear River Massacre.-History:...

, stretching across southeastern Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....

 and northeastern Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...

. They founded a community in that location and named it Worm Creek, but later changed it to Preston. Preston was named after Preston, England, the center of early [LDS] proselytizing in the UK.

Napoleon Dynamite

Much of the 2004 film Napoleon Dynamite
Napoleon Dynamite
Napoleon Dynamite is a 2004 comedy film co-written and directed by Jared Hess and Jerusha Hess and stars Jon Heder as Napoleon Dynamite. The film was Jared Hess' first full-length feature and is partially adapted from his earlier short film, Peluca....

was shot in the city of Preston, including at Preston High School
Preston High School (Idaho)
Preston High School is located in the small town of Preston, in Idaho, United States.Preston High was one of the main filming locations in the movie Napoleon Dynamite...

, located several blocks from U.S. Highway 91. Several area landmarks can be seen throughout the film. Preston is the home of the film's creators, Jared and Jerusha Hess
Jared and Jerusha Hess
Jared Lawrence Hess and Jerusha Elizabeth Hess are husband-and-wife American filmmakers known for their work Napoleon Dynamite and Nacho Libre and Gentlemen Broncos , all of which they co-wrote and directed...

, Preston being where Jared went to high school.

Festival

For several years, the city held a "Napoleon Dynamite Festival" in the summer. Many of the events that the festival featured related to movie-themed events; such as: Tetherball
Tetherball
Tetherball is a North American game for two opposing players. The equipment consists of a stationary metal pole, from which is hung a volleyball from a rope, or tether. The two players stand on opposite sides of the pole. Each player tries to hit the ball one way; one clockwise, and one...

 Tournament, Tater Tot
Tater Tots
Tater Tots, a registered trademark for a commercial form of hash browns made by Ore-Ida, are a side-dish made from deep-fried, grated taters. Tater Tots are widely recognized by their crispness, cylindrical shape and small size....

 Eating Contest, Moon Boot
Moon boot
Moon Boots are footwear first created in the early 1970s by manufacturer Tecnica Group of Giavera del Montello, Italy. They became a notable fashion trend throughout the 1980s. The boot is constructed with a thin rubber outsole and cellular rubber midsole. The boot is sized small, medium, large,...

 Dance, Impersonation, Look-A-Like Contest, Football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...

 Throwing Contest, and more. In 2004, there was a single day event that drew an approximate 300 people. Although this was not a large crowd drawing event, it did help raise $1,500 for the Preston School District Education Foundation. In 2005, an estimated 6,000 people attended the event, but that number dropped to an estimated 400 in 2006. The 2007 and 2008 event was held along with the 'That Famous Preston Night Rodeo' in Preston, but there are no future plans for the event.

Festival of Lights

Each year Preston holds the "Idaho Festival of Lights", which starts the day after Thanksgiving and goes unto December 31. The festival was started by two local business men (Wayne Bell and Walter Ross) along with many other community organizations to help celebrate Christmas within the community. The festival consists of a lighted parade, fireworks, and displays in the city park. The merchants along the main street of Preston have their store fronts decorated with Christmas lights during the festival.

A key event of the festival is the International Bed Race, which is held on the Saturday following Thanksgiving on the main street of Preston. Additional events are a kid's parade and free movie.

Geography

Preston is located at 42°5′43"N 111°52′31"W (42.095160, -111.875330).

According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...

, the city has a total area of 6.7 square miles (17.4 km²), all of it land.

Nearby is the Cub River Canyon, which is a popular recreation area.

Within Preston itself, U.S. Highway 91 is the main north-south street, State Street. By taking US-91, it is possible to travel to Preston from Logan, Utah
Logan, Utah
-Layout of the City:Logan's city grid originates from its Main and Center Street block, with Main Street running north and south, and Center east and west. Each block north, east, south, or west of the origin accumulates in additions of 100 , though some streets have non-numeric names...

. Oneida Street, also State Highway 36 is the primary west-east road. Preston is a brief drive from Interstate 15.

Demographics

As of the census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...

of 2000, there were 4,682 people, 1,529 households, and 1,200 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...

 was 701.0 people per square mile (270.6/km²). There were 1,640 housing units at an average density of 245.6 per square mile (94.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 95.22% White, 0.09% African American, 0.45% Native American, 0.13% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 3.12% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, and 0.94% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.04% of the population.

There were 1,529 households out of which 44.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.2% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...

 living together, 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.5% were non-families. 20.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.01 and the average family size was 3.50.

In the city the population was spread out with 35.3% under the age of 18, 10.5% from 18 to 24, 24.1% from 25 to 44, 15.9% from 45 to 64, and 14.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 28 years. For every 100 females there were 95.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.2 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $35,204, and the median income for a family was $39,537. Males had a median income of $29,247 versus $20,652 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...

 for the city was $13,751. About 5.9% of families and 6.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.9% of those under age 18 and 6.2% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Preston is home to Preston High School
Preston High School (Idaho)
Preston High School is located in the small town of Preston, in Idaho, United States.Preston High was one of the main filming locations in the movie Napoleon Dynamite...

, where many scenes were shot for Napoleon Dynamite
Napoleon Dynamite
Napoleon Dynamite is a 2004 comedy film co-written and directed by Jared Hess and Jerusha Hess and stars Jon Heder as Napoleon Dynamite. The film was Jared Hess' first full-length feature and is partially adapted from his earlier short film, Peluca....

.

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
x
OK