Preston, Connecticut | |
|---|---|
| Town of Preston | |
 Preston City Congregational Church | |
 Seal | |
 New London County and Connecticut Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region and Connecticut | |
 Show Preston Show Connecticut Show the United States | |
| Coordinates:41°31′N72°0′W / 41.517°N 72.000°W /41.517; -72.000 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Connecticut |
| County | New London |
| Region | Southeastern CT |
| Incorporated | 1687 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Selectman-town meeting |
| • First selectman | Sandra L. Allyn-Gauthier (D) |
| • Selectman | Gerald W. Grabarek (D) |
| • Selectman | Kenneth L. Zachem (R) |
| Area | |
• Total | 31.8 sq mi (82.4 km2) |
| • Land | 30.9 sq mi (80.0 km2) |
| • Water | 0.85 sq mi (2.2 km2) |
| Elevation | 177 ft (54 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 4,788 |
| • Density | 155/sq mi (59.9/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (Eastern) |
| ZIP Code | 06365 |
| Area codes | 860/959 |
| FIPS code | 09-62150 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0213492 |
| Website | www |
Preston is atown inNew London County, Connecticut, United States. The town is part of theSoutheastern Connecticut planning region. Its population was 4,788 at the2020 census.[1] The town includes the villages of Long Society,Preston City, andPoquetanuck.
In 1686, Thomas Parke, Thomas Tracy, and several others petitioned for and were granted by the Connecticut General Court authority to establish a plantation seven miles square to the east ofNorwich and north ofNew London andStonington. Owaneco, son of theMohegansachemUncas, gave a confirmatorydeed for the land in 1687. In October of that same year, the town was formally incorporated as Preston, named for the English city ofPreston, Lancashire.[2][3]
Early trades in the area included shoemaking, metalsmithing, shipbuilding, and brickmaking.[4]
The Ecclesiastical Society of Preston was first organized in 1698, with the first meetinghouse located in present-day Preston City. At the request of residents in the northern part of Preston (now the town ofGriswold), the North Society was established in 1716. A splinter group, the Separate Church of Preston, was established in 1747 and continued until 1817. The Preston City Baptist Church (now the Preston City Bible Church) was established in 1812.[5][6] The town of Griswold separated from the town of Preston in 1815.[7][8]
On August 4, 1954, an Air France Lockheed L-1049CSuper Constellation flying fromOrly Airport, Paris, toIdlewild Airport, New York City, crash-landed in a farm field in Preston, with no casualties.[9]
Preston has a large number of properties on the National Register of Historic Places, including the Preston City Historic District and the Long Society Meeting House.[4]
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 31.8 square miles (82 km2), of which 0.9 sq mi (2.3 km2), or 2.71%, is covered by water.
Three distinct settlements were in the town when it was first established:[10]
Other minor communities and geographic locations in the town areHallville, Happyland, and Preston Plains.
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1820 | 1,899 | — | |
| 1850 | 1,842 | — | |
| 1860 | 2,092 | 13.6% | |
| 1870 | 2,161 | 3.3% | |
| 1880 | 2,523 | 16.8% | |
| 1890 | 2,555 | 1.3% | |
| 1900 | 2,807 | 9.9% | |
| 1910 | 1,917 | −31.7% | |
| 1920 | 2,743 | 43.1% | |
| 1930 | 3,928 | 43.2% | |
| 1940 | 4,206 | 7.1% | |
| 1950 | 1,775 | −57.8% | |
| 1960 | 4,992 | 181.2% | |
| 1970 | 3,593 | −28.0% | |
| 1980 | 4,644 | 29.3% | |
| 1990 | 5,006 | 7.8% | |
| 2000 | 4,688 | −6.4% | |
| 2010 | 4,726 | 0.8% | |
| 2020 | 4,788 | 1.3% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[11] | |||
As of thecensus[12] of 2000, 4,688 people, 1,837 households, and 1,359 families were residing in the town. The population density was 151.7 inhabitants per square mile (58.6/km2). The 1,901 housing units had an average density of 61.5 per square mile (23.7/km2). Theracial makeup of the town was 95.63% White, 0.75% African American, 0.83% Native American, 1.15% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.51% from other races, and 1.11% from two or more races. [Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 1.39% of the population.
Of the 1,837 households, 30.3% had children under 18 living with them, 62.9% were married couples living together, 7.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.0% were not families. About 21.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.1% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 4.95.
In the town, the age distribution was 22.4% under 18, 5.9% from 18 to 24, 29.4% from 25 to 44, 28.3% from 45 to 64, and 14.0% who were 65 or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.1 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 100.1 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $54,942, and for a family was $62,554. Males had a median income of $44,053 versus $28,226 for females. Theper capita income for the town was $24,752. About 1.6% of families and 3.3% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 1.5% of those under 18 and 5.5% of those 65 or over.
According to thePreston Historical Society, "Schools were built in 'districts' to serve the local children, until two central schools, one on Poquetanuck and one in Preston City, were built between 1938 and 1940."[10] Currently, public education in Preston is administered by Preston Public Schools, which operates the Preston Veterans' Memorial School (prekindergarten to grade 5) and the Preston Plains Middle School (grades 6–8). For high school, students go to multiple school districts of surrounding towns, including theNorwich Free Academy, Ledyard High School, Grasso Tech, Norwich Tech, Griswold High School, Wheeler High School, Marine Science Magnet High School, and New London Multi Magnet High School.
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Municipalities and communities ofNew London County, Connecticut,United States | ||
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| Cities |  | |
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| Other communities | ||
| Indian reservations | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
Municipalities and communities ofSoutheastern Connecticut Planning Region, Connecticut,United States | ||
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| Cities |  | |
| Towns | ||
| International | |
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| National | |
| Geographic | |
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