CRESTON

creston, a city and the county-seat of union county, iowa, u.s.a., about 60 m. s.w. of des moines, at the crossing of the main line and two branches of the chicago, burlington & quincy railway. pop. (1890) 7200; (1900) 7752; (1905, state census) 8382 (753 foreign-born); (1910) 6924. the city is on the crest of the divide between the mississippi and the missouri basins at an altitude of about 1310 ft.--whence its name. it is situated in a fine farming and stock-raising region, for which it is a shipping point. the site was chosen in 1869 by the burlington & missouri river railroad company (subsequently merged in the chicago, burlington & quincy railroad company) for the location of its shops. creston was incorporated as a town in 1869, and was chartered as a city in 1871.