Preston Overlook
Encyclopedia
Preston Overlook is a historic scenic overlook in Preston, Minnesota
. It was built in 1937-38 by the Minnesota Department of Highways under the program of Federal Relief Construction in Minnesota.
The overlook was a product of its times: the Great Depression
led United States
President
Franklin D. Roosevelt
to create the New Deal
, a complex package of economic programs initiated to help the economy recover and put people to work. The overlook was a project of one such plan, the National Reemployment Service. The original idea came from the Preston Women's Civic Improvement Club, which had lobbied for highway beautification
. A site was chosen on of the highest point on the bluffs above the Root River
, 90 feet below. The overlook was designed by Minnesota landscape architect Arthur R. Nichols in the Rustic Style
. The mosaic patterned wall and flagstone walk consist of limestone
quarried from below the overlook.
The Preston Overlook was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 2003.
Preston, Minnesota
Preston is a city in Fillmore County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 1,325 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Fillmore County. The Root River runs through it, and Mystery Cave State Park is nearby...
. It was built in 1937-38 by the Minnesota Department of Highways under the program of Federal Relief Construction in Minnesota.
Great Depression in the United States
The Great Depression began with the Wall Street Crash of October, 1929 and rapidly spread worldwide. The market crash marked the beginning of a decade of high unemployment, poverty, low profits, deflation, plunging farm incomes, and lost opportunities for economic growth and personal advancement...
led United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
to create the New Deal
New Deal
The New Deal was a series of economic programs implemented in the United States between 1933 and 1936. They were passed by the U.S. Congress during the first term of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The programs were Roosevelt's responses to the Great Depression, and focused on what historians call...
, a complex package of economic programs initiated to help the economy recover and put people to work. The overlook was a project of one such plan, the National Reemployment Service. The original idea came from the Preston Women's Civic Improvement Club, which had lobbied for highway beautification
Highway beautification
Highway beautification is landscaping and control of the usage of the land by highways.In the United States, highway beautification is subject the Highway Beautification Act, Section 131 of Title 23, United States Code , commonly referred to as "Title I of the Highway Beautification Act of 1965, as...
. A site was chosen on of the highest point on the bluffs above the Root River
Root River (Minnesota)
The Root River flows for through the Driftless Area of southeastern Minnesota and is a tributary of the Upper Mississippi River. It is an excellent river for canoeing...
, 90 feet below. The overlook was designed by Minnesota landscape architect Arthur R. Nichols in the Rustic Style
National Park Service Rustic
National Park Service rustic, also colloquially known as Parkitecture, is a style of architecture that arose in the United States National Park System to create buildings that harmonized with their natural environment. Since its founding, the National Park Service consistently has sought to provide...
. The mosaic patterned wall and flagstone walk consist of limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
quarried from below the overlook.
The Preston Overlook was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 2003.