Preston Township, Pennsylvania

According to the United States Census Bureau, Preston Township has a total area of 51.546 sq mi (133.51 km2), of which 49.419 sq mi (128.00 km2) is land and 2.127 sq mi (5.510 km2), or 4.126%, is water. The township and surrounding area has been called "the highlands of Wayne [County]" because it is especially mountainous. About half of the highest peak in the county, Mount Ararat (historically called Ararat Mountain, Ararat Peak, Ararat Summit, or simply "Ararat" (formerly called Sugar Loaf Peak (or Summit Lake) and Lake Lorain (or Five Mile Pond) in the village of Poyntelle and Independent Lake (formerly known as Independence Pond and sometimes known today as Lake Independence or Lake Independent) in Poyntelle and Orson are three of the four sources of the East Branch of the Lackawanna (the fourth being Dunn Pond, or Dunns Lake, in the village of East Ararat in Ararat Township in Susquehanna County), while the West Branch of the Lackawaxen rises from a confluence of several small, unnamed streams in Orson and Poyntelle. ==Communities==

The following villages are located in Preston Township: • Lake Como • Lakewood) • Orson) • Preston Center • Preston Park • Shehawken • Tallmanville • Wrighter Corner ==Demographics==

As of the Census of 2010, there were 1,014 people, 439 households, and 292 families in Preston Township. The township's population density was 20.52 people per square mile (7.922/km2), and there were 983 housing units at an average density of 19.9/sq mi (7.68/km2). The racial makeup of the populace was 98.6% White, 0.0% African American, 0.1% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, 0.0% of other races, and 0.9% of two or more races. Hispanics and Latinos of all races made up 0.5% of the population. According to self-reported ancestry figures recorded by the ACS, the five largest ancestral groups in Preston Township in 2013 were Germans (27.3%), English (22.5%), Irish (17.6%), Poles (13.3%), and Russians (5.5%). Those reporting American ancestry made up 3.4% of the population. ==Education==

For children in grades K through 8, Preston Township is primarily served by the Preston Area School in Lakewood, part of the Wayne Highlands School District. Because there are no private or parochial schools within the township, high school students (grades 9 through 12) may attend one of two public high schools. Honesdale High School, the only public high school in the district, or Hancock Middle/High School located in Hancock, NY. Both schools offer a unique education experience. Honesdale High school has a large diverse student body with many extracurricular activities. Hancock being a much smaller school offers the students much more individual teaching environment. ==References==