Argyle Lake State Park in Colchester, Illinois, is a 1,700-acre recreation area centered on the 93-acre Argyle Lake, with wooded campsites and about 5 miles of hiking trails. Created after the state bought the land from local farmers in 1948 and dammed a nearby water source, the park covers ground that once included Argyle Hollow, part of a 19th-century stagecoach route between Galena and Beardstown. The surrounding region was long shaped by coal, clay, limestone, brickmaking, and pottery. Today the park draws visitors for camping, short hikes, and lake recreation, with added local folklore from recent Bigfoot sightings.