Preston Castle gives Ione a hilltop landmark you remember

Preston Castle is the kind of landmark that changes how Ione looks from a distance. It sits on a hill above the city, big and formal, with Romanesque Revival architecture that feels unusual in a small Gold Country town.

The land was purchased in 1890 from the Ione Coal & Iron Company for the Preston School of Industry. The cornerstone was laid on December 23, 1890, with a large crowd present. The first young people arrived in June 1894, and the school officially opened on July 1 of that year.

The building has details that make it easier to picture the work behind it. Sandstone came from a quarry about six miles from Ione. Bricks were made at San Quentin and Folsom prisons and delivered by rail, thousands of bricks at a time. In 1895, electricity arrived through a water-wheel-powered dynamo.

The state school later moved into newer facilities, and the castle stood empty for many years. Preservation work gave it a second public life. Today it is a California State Historical Landmark, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and one of Ione’s clearest reminders that a small town can hold a very large story.