Preston, MN

Preston is the Fillmore County seat on the Root River, a place shaped by mills, limestone country, and trout. John Kaercher began the settlement in 1853, and the town was platted in 1855; its name honors Luther Preston, an early millwright and postmaster. Today, Minnesota Highway 16's giant trout sign gives the local joke away, while the South Branch of the Root River and nearby Mystery Cave keep the map pointed at water and karst. The Harmony-Preston Valley segment of the Blufflands State Trail runs through town. Preston's local shorthand is courthouse, river, cave, and a very large trout.