The Umbrella corner

In the News Today!

Twelve years ago, Preston was a town like any other, a relatively quiet part of southern Idaho with a population of just under 5,000 people. Known for That Famous Preston Night Rodeo and its close proximity to the site of the Bear River Massacre, most of the United States would likely have been unable to locate it on a map. Things would change for the small Franklin County town with the release of "Napoleon Dynamite" in 2004. The quotable comedy film written and directed by Preston native Jared Hess became a surprise hit, earning $46.1 million at the box office on a budget of only $400,000. As the site of the film, Preston gained a foothold in pop culture, the Herald Journal reported. "Some people worry that the movie gives us a bad name," Preston resident Rhonda Gregerson said. "But really, it gives us a great name. The movie put us right on the map; it's our golden goose."

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