|
 |
History in
a Pecan Shell
Preston
grew near present-day Pottsboro, Texas
on a bluff of the Red River. Originally a trading
post established by Holland
Coffee and Silas Colville, the town was such a violent place that
Coffee was murdered there in 1846.
Also known as Preston Bend, despite its location on a bluff,
the town was a major crossing on the Red River with a reported 1,000
wagons crossing there in a single year. The town was the end of the
Indian Nation's Texas Road and there was a heavy traffic in liquor.
Two early ferries were in operation around 1850. The town formed its
own government in 1851.
For its first two years the town was the location of an Army depot
and except for the violent element, the town seemed destined for growth.
But rival towns grew stronger faster and the main crossing of the
river shifted to Colbert’s Ferry, eclipsing Preston.
Old Preston was nearly forgotten by 1870, and a newer Preston
developed a short distance away. The “New” Preston didn’t fully
develop as a town, but did serve as the center of a scattered community.
With two churches, a school, cotton gin and post office (granted in
1880, closed by 1914) Preston remained in place while the site of
Old Preston was purchased in the late 1930s for the construction of
Texoma Dam
(completed 1944). The population of “New” Preston was 325 residents
for the 2000 census, and 2,096 in 2010. |
 |
Site
of the Trading Post of Holland Coffee
FM 120 at Preston Cemetery
1936 Texas Centennial marker
Photo courtesy Barclay
Gibson, February 2007 |
Centennial marker
close-up
Photo courtesy Barclay
Gibson, February 2007 |
Centennial Marker:
Site of the
Trading Post of Holland Coffee
Established about
1837 for trade with the Indians of the Red River region and the western
plains. Here many white captives of the Red Men were redeemed. From
its vicinity the Snively
Expedition set out for New Mexico on April 25, 1843. Abandoned
after Coffee's death in 1846. |
Sophia Porter
Historical Marker
FM 120 - Preston Cemetery
Photo courtesy Barclay
Gibson, February 2007 |
Historical Marker:
Confederate
Lady Paul Revere
Sophia Porter
(1813-1899)
Settled 1839 at
Glen Eden, a site now under Lake
Texoma, north of here. Husband, Holland Coffee, early trader,
built fine home, welcomed 1845-60, U. S. Army officers including Robert
E. Lee and Ulysses S. Grant.
During Civil War, wined and dined passing Federal scouts, found out
they were seeking Col. Jas. Bourland, Confederate defender of Texas
frontier. While guests were busy, she slipped out, swam her horse
across icy Red River, warned Col. Bourland, helped prevent Federal
invasion of North
Texas. |
Photographer's
Note:
Here's the over all scene at Preston historical marker. While looking
for it, I was about to give up as no one living around there (that
I could find) knew where it was. I pulled into the driveway of the
Preston Cemetery and stopped to look at my maps, and just looked to
my left and it was 50' away. - Mike
Price, April 02, 2010 |
Grayson
County 1907 postal map showing Preston on the Red River W of the
railroad
From Texas state map #2090
Courtesy
Texas General Land Office |
Grayson
County 1940s map showing Preston
(on a bluff of the Red River - NW of Denison)
From Texas state map #4335
Courtesy
Texas General Land Office |
| Texas
Escapes, in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing
Texas, asks that anyone wishing to share their local history, stories,
landmarks and recent or vintage photos, please contact
us. |
|
|
HOME
