Argyle Lake State Park
Encyclopedia
Argyle Lake State Park is an Illinois state park located in Colchester
, Illinois
. The 1700 acres (688 ha) park is home to the 93 acres (37.6 ha) Argyle Lake and 5 miles (8 km) of hiking
trails and wooded campsite
s.
Once the home of "Argyle Hollow
," (now occupied by the lake) was once part of the old 19th century stagecoach
route between Galena
and Beardstown
.
The region itself was a source of coal, clay and limestone. While many of the regional brick works, clay and pottery operations have since closed, some limestone quarries in the area are still in operation today.
The land was purchased by the state in 1948 from local farmers and the state park was founded. Argyle Lake, an artificial lake, was later created by damming a nearby water source.
Colchester, Illinois
Colchester is a city in McDonough County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,493 at the 2000 census. The city is named after the provincial town of Colchester, England.-Geography:Colchester is located at ....
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. The 1700 acres (688 ha) park is home to the 93 acres (37.6 ha) Argyle Lake and 5 miles (8 km) of hiking
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
trails and wooded campsite
Campsite
A campsite or camping pitch is a place used for overnight stay in the outdoors. In British English a campsite is an area, usually divided into a number of pitches, where people can camp overnight using tents or camper vans or caravans; this British English use of the word is synonymous with the...
s.
Once the home of "Argyle Hollow
Valley
In geology, a valley or dale is a depression with predominant extent in one direction. A very deep river valley may be called a canyon or gorge.The terms U-shaped and V-shaped are descriptive terms of geography to characterize the form of valleys...
," (now occupied by the lake) was once part of the old 19th century stagecoach
Stagecoach
A stagecoach is a type of covered wagon for passengers and goods, strongly sprung and drawn by four horses, usually four-in-hand. Widely used before the introduction of railway transport, it made regular trips between stages or stations, which were places of rest provided for stagecoach travelers...
route between Galena
Galena, Illinois
Galena is the county seat of, and largest city in, Jo Daviess County, Illinois in the United States, with a population of 3,429 in 2010. The city is a popular tourist destination known for its history, historical architecture, and ski and golf resorts. Galena was the residence of Ulysses S...
and Beardstown
Beardstown, Illinois
Beardstown is a city in Cass County, Illinois, United States. The population was 6,123 at the 2010 census. The public schools are in Beardstown Community Unit School District 15.-Geography:Beardstown is located at...
.
The region itself was a source of coal, clay and limestone. While many of the regional brick works, clay and pottery operations have since closed, some limestone quarries in the area are still in operation today.
The land was purchased by the state in 1948 from local farmers and the state park was founded. Argyle Lake, an artificial lake, was later created by damming a nearby water source.