Argyle, Utah
Encyclopedia
Argyle is a ghost town
located in Rich County
, Utah
, United States
. Lying some 3 miles (4.8 km) southwest of Randolph
on Big Creek, it was inhabited about 1875–1915.
) settled the area with his three sons (one of whom, John Kennedy, Jr.
later served in the Utah State legislature), who built homes and ranches along the various branches of Big Creek. Within a few years several other Mormon
families moved in and established a local church group. The town became known as Kennedyville. In 1885 the community organized a school system, and the mostly Scottish American
residents voted to rename the town Argyle in honor of Argyll
, Scotland
. School was originally held in Kennedy's home until a one-room brick schoolhouse was built in 1895. The cold climate made farming difficult, and the population grew slowly. There were 111 inhabitants in 1900, and just over 125 in 1910 when a second room was built onto the schoolhouse.
Argyle declined as transportation improved and farmers no longer had to live as close to their fields. The school was considered inferior to the education available in nearby Randolph, and Argyle had no stores or other services of its own. In 1913 the local church organization was discontinued, and in 1915 the school itself closed and merged with the one in Randolph. Most of the residents moved to Randolph and kept their farms in the Argyle area.
Although the town is deserted, numerous buildings and walls still stand at Argyle. It is surrounded by hay
fields and closed to the public, but the ruins can easily be seen from the road.
Ghost town
A ghost town is an abandoned town or city. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economic activity that supported it has failed, or due to natural or human-caused disasters such as floods, government actions, uncontrolled lawlessness, war, or nuclear disasters...
located in Rich County
Rich County, Utah
Rich County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah. The southern half of Bear Lake and the Bear Lake Valley lie on the northern edge of the county. The Bear River Valley lies in most of the eastern portion of the county. The elevation of these valleys is close to , and the rest of the county...
, Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Lying some 3 miles (4.8 km) southwest of Randolph
Randolph, Utah
Randolph is a city in Rich County, Utah, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 464. It is the county seat of Rich County. Randolph had the highest percentage of people of any city in the country vote for George W...
on Big Creek, it was inhabited about 1875–1915.
History
Around 1875, John Kennedy, Sr. (the great-grandfather of David M. KennedyDavid M. Kennedy
David Matthew Kennedy was an American businessman, economist and Cabinet secretary.Born in Randolph, Utah, he attended public school and graduated from Weber College, then a Mormon college, in 1928. He served a two-year mission, for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, to England...
) settled the area with his three sons (one of whom, John Kennedy, Jr.
John Kennedy (Utah politician)
John Kennedy, Jr. was the bishop of the Argyle Ward in Argyle, Utah during its entire existence, a member of the Utah State Legislature, the Rich County Commission and a justice of the peace....
later served in the Utah State legislature), who built homes and ranches along the various branches of Big Creek. Within a few years several other Mormon
Mormon
The term Mormon most commonly denotes an adherent, practitioner, follower, or constituent of Mormonism, which is the largest branch of the Latter Day Saint movement in restorationist Christianity...
families moved in and established a local church group. The town became known as Kennedyville. In 1885 the community organized a school system, and the mostly Scottish American
Scottish American
Scottish Americans or Scots Americans are citizens of the United States whose ancestry originates wholly or partly in Scotland. Scottish Americans are closely related to Scots-Irish Americans, descendants of Ulster Scots, and communities emphasize and celebrate a common heritage...
residents voted to rename the town Argyle in honor of Argyll
Argyll
Argyll , archaically Argyle , is a region of western Scotland corresponding with most of the part of ancient Dál Riata that was located on the island of Great Britain, and in a historical context can be used to mean the entire western coast between the Mull of Kintyre and Cape Wrath...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. School was originally held in Kennedy's home until a one-room brick schoolhouse was built in 1895. The cold climate made farming difficult, and the population grew slowly. There were 111 inhabitants in 1900, and just over 125 in 1910 when a second room was built onto the schoolhouse.
Argyle declined as transportation improved and farmers no longer had to live as close to their fields. The school was considered inferior to the education available in nearby Randolph, and Argyle had no stores or other services of its own. In 1913 the local church organization was discontinued, and in 1915 the school itself closed and merged with the one in Randolph. Most of the residents moved to Randolph and kept their farms in the Argyle area.
Although the town is deserted, numerous buildings and walls still stand at Argyle. It is surrounded by hay
Hay
Hay is grass, legumes or other herbaceous plants that have been cut, dried, and stored for use as animal fodder, particularly for grazing livestock such as cattle, horses, goats, and sheep. Hay is also fed to pets such as rabbits and guinea pigs...
fields and closed to the public, but the ruins can easily be seen from the road.
External links
- Argyle at GhostTowns.com