Explore Arnold
Preston Castle
An 1894 Romanesque reform school on a hill above Ione — one of the largest surviving brick buildings of its era in California, opened for daytime and after-dark tours by the volunteers restoring it. An hour and a quarter from the cabins.
First things first
First things first
Preston Castle is not a castle. It was the Preston School of Industry, built in 1894 as a progressive alternative to prison for boys — a huge, ornate brick building with 43 rooms of arches, tilework and tall windows, which by the 1960s had been abandoned to weather and vandals.
It sits above Ione in Amador County, about an hour and a quarter from Chalet Bruin and Koda Loft. A volunteer foundation has been stabilising it for decades and funds the work through tours, which is the only way to get inside.
Geography
Where Preston Castle sits
Built in 1894 as the Preston School of Industry, this Romanesque Revival brick building is one of the largest of its era left standing in California.
A volunteer foundation runs day and evening tours to fund an ongoing restoration; the building is otherwise closed.
About an hour and a quarter from both cabins.
- Region
- Western edge of the Sierra foothills, above the Ione valley
- County
- Amador County
- Elevation
- About 300 ft
- Nearest town
- Ione
- Getting there
- Highway 49 north, then west towards Ione; inside access only on a booked tour
The building, and its history
Architecturally it is remarkable: Romanesque Revival on an institutional scale, with a bell tower, arcaded galleries and a grand staircase, all built with brick made on site. Walking it gives you a very direct sense of what a Victorian idea of reforming children looked like in practice — dormitories, workshops, a chapel and a punishment wing under one roof.
The history is genuinely grim in places, including the 1950 murder of the housekeeper in the basement, which is the story most of the ghost tours are built around. The foundation tells it as history rather than as spectacle, which is the better way round.
Tours, and what to expect
Day tours run on selected weekends, generally spring through autumn, and evening and paranormal-investigation events run on their own schedule. It is an active restoration site: uneven floors, dust, no heating or cooling, and closed-toe shoes required. Not suitable for very young children.
Everything here is check before you go — dates, ticket sales and which parts of the building are open change with the restoration work and the weather. Tickets sell out for the after-dark events well ahead.
Where to stay near Preston Castle
Ione has limited lodging. Both cabins are about an hour and a quarter away in Arnold with a kitchen, a hot tub and the pines, and a Preston Castle day pairs well with Sutter Creek, Jackson or the Amador wine country on the way back.
Nearby
Keep exploring
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
How far is Preston Castle from Arnold?+
About an hour and a quarter — Highway 4 to Angels Camp, Highway 49 north, then west towards Ione.
Can you go inside?+
Only on a tour. The volunteer foundation runs day tours on selected weekends and separate evening events, and the ticket money funds the restoration.
Is it suitable for children?+
Not for very young ones. It is an active restoration site with uneven floors and no climate control, and closed-toe shoes are required.
Are the ghost tours real investigations?+
The foundation runs after-dark and paranormal-investigation events with the history told straight. They sell out well ahead — check the current schedule.