Preston in Fillmore County, Minnesota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
Welcome to Preston
Photographed by McGhiever, October 5, 2025
1. Welcome to Preston Marker
Grain Elevators
As the Blufflands were settled in the mid-1800s, harvests from local farms were brought to the grain mills and elevators in nearby townssuch as the Milwaukee Co. Grain Elevator in Preston. Grain was stored in the elevators until it was shipped out on the railroad. The elevator in Preston ceased operations in the 1980s and is now a part of the Preston trailhead experience.
Prairie Restoration
Prior to European settlement in the 1860s and 70s, prairies were common in the Blufflands. In native prairies, grasses, sedges, and forbs dominate and regular fires keep trees and shrubs at bay. Increased development, conversion to agriculture, and suppression of fires has made prairies increasingly rare. The MN DNR, along with local and regional partners, is working to restore native prairie through plantings and management that includes regular, controlled burns.
Trout Stream
Hundreds of miles of streams ribbon through the Blufflands. Many of these streams are spring-fed, cool in the summer and warm in the winter. These conditions, combined with plentiful insects, create an ideal habitat for trout. Sedimentation
this page online
Rails to Trails
The Southern Minnesota Railroad (later the Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. Paul Railway) brought affordable transportation and prosperity to towns along the railway and established new towns along its route. The development of the highway system and the trucking industry led to the demise of the railroads in the mid- to late 1900s. The MN DNR purchased the rail line in the 1980s and created the Root River and Harmony-Preston Valley State Trails. Train depots still stand alongside the trails in many of the towns. In Harmony, a set of hobo sculptures is a tribute to life on the rails.
Erected by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Environment • Industry & Commerce • Parks & Recreational Areas • Railroads & Streetcars. A significant historical year for this entry is 1860.
Location. 43° 40.276′ N, 92° 4.709′ W. Marker is in Preston,
Photographed by McGhiever, October 5, 2025
2. Welcome to Preston Marker (center) at Preston's Root River Trailhead
Regionally, this marker is in Southeast Minnesota and in Greater Rochester. It is also in the American Midwest, in the Corn Belt, and in the Driftless Area Bluff Country. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once Ruperts Land, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, and the Louisiana Purchase.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Agriculture and Angling (here, next to this marker); Welcome to Preston: Area Attractions (within shouting distance of this marker); Preston All-Wars Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); The Heritage of Downtown Preston (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); The Milwaukee Road in Preston / A Day on the Railroad (about 300 feet away); Preston Public Library (approx. Ό mile away); Jesse Potter Nehring (approx. Ό mile away); Preston Overlook (approx. 0.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Preston.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 10, 2026. It was originally submitted on February 10, 2026, by McGhiever of Minneapolis, Minnesota. This page has been viewed 36 times since then. Photos: 1. submitted on February 10, 2026, by McGhiever of Minneapolis, Minnesota. 2. submitted on December 2, 2025, by McGhiever of Minneapolis, Minnesota.
