Historical Marker · No. 867
Preston Castle
Ione, Amador County · California
Erected by the State Department of Parks and Recreation in cooperation with the Amador County Historical Society, 1974
The bronze casts the intention rather than the record. It calls the Preston School of Industry a progressive action toward rehabilitating, rather than simply imprisoning, juvenile offenders, which is what the legislature meant by it in 1890. The first seven wards arrived in June 1894, transferred from San Quentin. The castle closed in 1960, but the institution carried on in newer buildings under later names until 2011, and the Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice marked that closing by calling the whole run a legacy of maltreatment.
What the plaque says
PRESTON CASTLE THE "CASTLE," BUILT IN 1890-1894, IS THE MOST SIGNIFICANT EXAMPLE OF ROMANESQUE REVIVAL ARCHITECTURE IN THE MOTHER LODE. IT WAS BUILT TO HOUSE THE PRESTON SCHOOL OF INDUSTRY, ESTABLISHED BY THE STATE LEGISLATURE AS A PROGRESSIVE ACTION TOWARD REHABILITATING, RATHER THAN SIMPLY IMPRISONING, JUVENILE OFFENDERS. DOORS OF THE 120 ROOM "CASTLE" CLOSED IN 1960 AFTER NEW FACILITIES WERE COMPLETED. CALIFORNIA REGISTERED HISTORICAL LANDMARK NO. 867 PLAQUE PLACED BY THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION IN COOPERATION WITH THE AMADOR COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, JULY 14, 1974.
Where it stands
38.36538, -120.95028 · Directions
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