Preston
Preston was a frontier town on the high bluff in the Washita Bend of the Red River, a site near modern Pottsboro, Grayson County. The community grew up around a trading post established by Silas Cheek Colville and Holland Coffee about 1837. The town plat was surveyed by William H. Hunt in 1845. It was long thought that a Capt. William Gilwater Preston accompanied the Military Road expedition of 1840–41 and established a Fort Preston. This now seems in doubt, and the origin of the name is obscure.
Adapted from the official Handbook of Texas, a state encyclopedia developed by the Texas State Historical Association (TSHA). It is an authoritative source of trusted historical records.
Morris L. Britton | © Texas State Historical Association
At a Glance
Belongs to
Preston is part of or belongs to the following places.
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Currently Exists
Yes
Place type
Preston is classified as a Town
Associated Names
- (Colville)
- (Coffee's Station)
- (Lower Station)
- (Washita)
Locations
-
- Latitude
- 33.88232340
- Longitude
- -96.63305160
Has Post Office
No
Is Incorporated
No

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Preston by the Numbers
Population Counts
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Population Counts
Preston
Pop. | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
2,101 | 2020 | United States Census Bureau |
2,012 | 2018 | Texas Demographic Center |
2,096 | 2010 | United States Census Bureau |