Preston School of Industry, Ione, California - Nov 2, 2013
Preston Castle was constructed in 1894 as the administration building for the Preston School of Industry, a reform school for boys. The Romanesque Revival style was chosen to give the building the appearance of a school rather than a prison.
The Castle opened in June 1894 and remained in use until 1960. That year, the State planned to demolish the building, but from 1960 to 1968, a dedicated group of local women fought hard to keep it standing. Once the State agreed not to tear it down, they also made clear they would do nothing to maintain it.
The building remained vacant and in disrepair until September 2001, when the Preston Castle Foundation leased it from the State. In 2014, the foundation was granted ownership of the Castle and 12.91 acres.
