There may be only one Creston in Canada, but former mayor Ron Toyota has set out to track down the 18 other communities in the U.S. that share the same name.
Toyota served as mayor from 2008 until his retirement in October 2022. His parents met in a Japanese internment camp during the Second World War and settled in Creston after the war, where Toyota was born in 1947.
This personal connection eventually sparked his curiosity about where its name came from.
“During my time as mayor, I was always interested in the origins of our small town and my wanderings through the internet discovered there are 18 locations in America,” said Toyota.
He said the name of Creston, B.C., was suggested by Fred Little, an early settler who had previously lived in Creston, Iowa.
Toyota and his wife began visiting other Crestons in 2023, starting in Washington and then travelling to Iowa in 2024.
Since then, he has toured seven communities that share the name and plans to visit three more in 2026 – in California, Nebraska and Tennessee.
He said another eight Crestons in the U.S. are unincorporated.
“The other eight are ‘marks on maps’ and not incorporated and a little difficult to travel to,” he said.
Some visits have resonated more than others.
In Creston, Iowa, Toyota toured the local fire hall after Creston, B.C., opened its new emergency services building.
“I enjoyed visiting the Creston Fire Hall in Creston, Iowa in 2024 as our new Creston Emergency Services Building had just opened, and they are a ‘city’ vs our ‘town’,” he said.
In 2025, Toyota stopped in Creston, Illinois, and particularly impressed by its downtown murals.
“I was impressed with their history being written on large signs on two buildings.”
Toyota said the trip has made him appreciate a recent decision by Creston council to keep the community’s “town” designation.
“Our Creston council recently retained our ‘Town’ status instead of changing to ‘City’ as we are the only one in North America. I’m very pleased we kept that status.”
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