Argyle, MN

Argyle had 544 residents in 2020 along the Middle River in Marshall County, close to the North Dakota line and the Red River Valley. Before the railroad arrived, a French Canadian settler named Gervais had a river community called Louisa. When James J. Hill’s Great Northern Railway reached the area in 1879, the railroad town was placed south of Gervais’s claim and named Argyle; the city incorporated in 1883. French Canadian, Norwegian, Swedish, Polish, Scottish, German, and English settlers all became part of the town’s early mix.

The Middle River still shapes Argyle’s parks, dike, fishing spots, and winter trails. Old Mill State Park lies 13 miles east along the river, preserving a water-powered mill site and offering hiking, swimming, skiing, and nature walks. Closer to town, Island Park and John Kurz Memorial Park provide riverfront gathering places, while the Argyle Historical Society’s Depot Museum keeps the railroad era in view. The school dates to 1880, and Argyle remains known across the region for its high school football program, Meet Your Neighbor Day, and the summer events that bring former residents back.