East Preston, Nova Scotia

East Preston is an expansive rural area located in eastern Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia, in Atlantic Canada.

East Preston was founded in the 1800s. Research shows that the community was not named after a man who was in search for his mother who had escaped from slavery. It was established long before he came however it was good to him. He - A reverend by the name of Richard Preston came to this land where residents had already been living. Rev. Preston started the two churches which are still located in this region. At first the two communities of East and North Preston were a whole. Known simply as Preston, soon the two would identify themselves differently by adding the North and East in front of it. East and North Preston are well known across the Maritimes and together are the largest indigeonous black community in Canada.

Currently East Preston is within the Halifax Regional Municipality. It was located East of another rural area, Preston. East Preston is accessible off of Trunk 7 or No 207 on Marine Drive through the Ross Road or the Mineville Road.

At one time when Preston was important as the source of market garden produce, East Preston also played an important role in supplying produce from small farm holdings. The area contains a large number of very popular lakes used for recreation. The boundaries of the Prestons have shrunken continually over the years. It once stretched from Porters Lake to the East, to well into the current confines of Dartmouth. Its current boundaries have been established since the mid 1970s.

East Preston was predominantly a Black community in its early days, and to a degree still is, but now with the demand for land and the growth of the city of Halifax many people from other areas have decided to join the community. The local Recreation Centre and Black Baptist Church provide a focus for the many Black families. A road exists that directly connects the two villages of North Preston and East Preston.

Just east of East Preston the area around Porters Lake is also experiencing an in-migration of new residents and business. This community serves as a shopping district for East Preston and other surrounding communities.