Preston's Hill

Preston's Hill was a small settlement between Carngham and Snake Valley.

The area was named after a local resident:

Preston Hill, so called after a gentlemen of that name, is situated on a piece of rising ground, which commands a good view of Snake Valley winding away to the left; a long, dull good mile and a half of road, intersected here and therewith stores, shops, public houses, and other buildings, such as are usually seen in country hamlets.

History

The area was often known as Carngham, but this report from 1878 shows that Preston's Hill had its own identity:

Whilst the name of Carngham is given to the district generally, the appellation is incorrect, and leads to many blunders and occasionally to disappointments. According to the public acceptation of the term, Carngham would embrace Preston’s Hill and Snake Valley, but each are diametrically opposed to the other. The three localities, though covered by a radius of about three miles, are within the shire of Ripon, and have their own aspirations, political and otherwise; and though united, they are still divided “like the kings of Brentford on one throne.” Each place has its own postmaster and post office, the latter being, as is invariably the case where disunion prevails, a local store. A post and telegraph office would long ago have been erected at one place or the other, but in public, meeting or otherwise the inhabitants could not agree as to the site. Old Carngham had its advocates, Preston Hill clamored for the honor as being central, whilst the Snake Valleyites, who possess the court house and police station, advocated the Camp as the most suitable site; and thus, whilst they could not agree, other localities reaped the reward, consequent on the strife and disunion that prevailed amongst the contentionists. When I speak of Carngham I use the term in its accepted sense. It reminds one of the Manx coat pf arms. It has three legs and no body; these contentious legs are kicking inferentially and everlastingly against each other. The first, old Carngham, lays claim in virtue of its antiquity. Preston Hill to its central position, and, Snake Valley because it is the largest and most populous of either place. A man may live in Preston Hill or Snake Valley and find a letter addressed to him to Carngham returned to the dead letter office, or vice versa.

Mining was well underway in January 1858, where there was an abundance of water compared to Carngham:

On Preston's ground things are progressing favorably, and water is in greater abundance in this locality (being in close proximity to the dam), and there also being plenty in the holes adjacent. One is here more forcibly reminded of "Sebastopol" and other deep leads. The blacksmith's forge meets one at every turn, the "rough carpenter" may be seen busily engaged dressing slabs, the sound of the blast is distinctly heard for a considerable distance: and the copious streams of water, issuing from the various claims predict that there will be lull employment for the industrious miner for some months to come.

Hotels

Click here for a list of the hotels in Preston's Hill.

People

Click here for a list of people involved in the hotels