In pre-Castro Cuba, my family lived in the town of Preston in Oriente Province, on Nipe Bay in eastern Cuba. The United Fruit Sugar Co. had a large sugar mill there.

On current maps, both town and province have disappeared. They would be in Holguin Province now. Can anybody provide any information about this? Thanks.

Below from AfriGeneas Caribbean Research Forum

It’s interesting to note that in 1905, Oriente Province was changed from Santiago de Cuba. So perhaps using Santiago may help in your search. Below are 2 web pages that describe these name changes.

http://www.statoids.com/ucu.html

http://www.cubagenweb.org/prov.htm

The main/last link below will take you to a Gutenberg site and the book/article entitled: “Cuba Old and New”, written in1915.

Its pages describe Cuba’s Provinces and mentions Banes and Banes Bay. Other articles on Cuba offer some of the same information that the sugar plantations were in the area and certainly the large sugar mills. Ore deposits, and I believe copper were also mined there. The quote below is from Cuba Old and New:

”…first Cuban harbor entered by Columbus. Nipe Bay and its near neighbor, Banes Bay, are the centres of what is now the greatest industrial activity of any part of the island. Here, recent American investment is measured in scores of millions of dollars. Here, in the immediate neighborhood, are some of the largest sugar plantations and mills on the island, the Boston and the Preston.”

The University of Illinois Press offers the Booker T Washington Papers on line. (Free) Its excellent search engine will uncover names of students from Cuba, teachers and description of Cuba. (I discovered this while researching Florida A & M’s extension program with Tuskegee.)

http://www.historycooperative.org/btw/index.html

The following are from reputable sites that may help you in your search:

The University of Florida’s digital Cuban Heritage Collection is a worthwhile reference source. Granted that some of the links are politically linked to the Cuban exiles in Miami, it still reveals a history of Cuba in photos, manuscripts and letters.

http://digital.library.miami.edu/chcdigital/collections.shtml
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Cuba, Old and New by Albert Gardner Robinson at Project Gutenberg
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From http://reference.allrefer.com/gazetteer/G/G05948-guatemala.html

Guatemala, Holguin prov., Cuba

Facts & Statistics

Place Name - Guatemala

Place Status (Type) - town

Location- Holguin prov., Cuba, Caribbean

Latitude 20°45'N
Longitude 75°39'W

Guatemala , town, Holguin prov., E Cuba, on E shore of Nipe Bay, 40 mi/64 km E of Holguin; 20°45'N 75°39'W. Sugar-milling center. Ships iron ore. Formerly called Preston. (Bold mine - DG)
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Author Tina Matlock (" Guava and Cheese ")was born in Preston, Oriente, Cuba. She came to the U.S. in 1960, shortly after Castro’s revolution. She and her husband live in Melbourne, Florida. Possibly she could be some help.

I would be willing to bet a great deal that the name "Preston" was bestowed by an American company or possibly the name of the American who owned the sugar mill. It's no wonder Castro changed it.

Map of Holgun Province

Map of Cuba showing provinces

Guatemala, Cuba Page

A good map of Holgun, which can be enlarged to easily see the city of Guatemala

Found this only today

I too was born in Preston to english parents

preston has been renamed to Guatemala and we where there just 10 days ago

I have added you as a buddy if you want to chat more. I have some pictures from the visit - very sad the mill is closed and no real other income in the town

I was researching Cuba for my son's school project and found this site. My father was born in Preston. His parents were Americans and his father worked for the United Fruit Comp. His father's name was Jerome (J.E.) Burgess.

My father and mother lived in Preston from 1951 until Castro ran everybody out - @ 1960. My dad's name was Eaton Summers. I went to Cuba several times on my military leave, the last time being in 1955.

I think I can remember playing golf with J.E. Burgess and my father on the local course. I recall that he was rather short. I didn't know him personally. My dad lived to the age of 98 and died in 1999.

My grandfather was short...you have a good memory. My father, Donald and his brothers Bill and Dick (or Richard) spent their childhoods in Preston. They each came to America once the local school ended - I think in 8th grade. My grandfather, J.E. passed away in 1967...my grandmother, Montez lived into her 90's and passed away in 1997.

Just spoke to my father and told him about this site. He says he knew a Jane Summers....could that have been a sister of yours?

Quite right, Jane is my sister. She now lives in Florida. What was your father's name?

My father's name is Don or Donald Burgess....His 2 brothers are Bill and Dick (Richard). My father lives north of Orlando and his brothers settled in the mid-west.