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History in
a Pecan Shell
The town was settled between the years 1850 and 1867 by families tied
to the Peters colony. It had been first been known as Pilot Knob
(where a post office operated under that name just east of the present
location).
In 1881 the town was made a stop on the Texas and Pacific Railroad
and a depot and railroad spurs were installed.
A railroad surveyor is credited with the name – not of Scottish origin,
but “after a garden in France.” That same year the Pilot Knob post
office moved to Argyle and instead of being delivered by stagecoach,
the mail came by train.
The Argyle State Bank opened in 1888 and two years later the population
was reported as nearing 150.
A fire in 1895 a fire destroyed the town’s business section, but by
1900 it had rebuilt. In 1930 the population was given as 238 and when
the cotton gin burned that year, rather than rebuild the gin, the
farmers switched to growing peanuts.
The population reached it peak that same year and entered into a decline.
By 1950 there were less than 100 citizens and Dallas/
Fort Worth lured local
residents away with the promise of higher-paying jobs.
The population started reversing the downward trend and rose to 125
for 1960. Argyle has benefited in recent years from a reverse migration
of city-dwellers who wish to return to a country lifestyle. The 1990
figure of 1,575 grew to 2,365 by the year 2000. |
| Texas
Escapes, in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing
Texas, asks that anyone wishing to share their local history, stories,
landmarks and vintage/historic photos, please contact
us. |
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