Argo Fay, Illinois

Argo Fay, Illinois
Unincorporated community
Argo Fay, Illinois is located in Illinois
Argo Fay, Illinois
Argo Fay, Illinois
Location within Illinois
Argo Fay, Illinois is located in the United States
Argo Fay, Illinois
Argo Fay, Illinois
Location within the United States
Coordinates: 42°00′15″N 90°01′02″W / 42.00417°N 90.01722°W / 42.00417; -90.01722
CountryUnited States
StateIllinois
CountyCarroll
Elevation
646 ft (197 m)
Time zoneUTC-6 (Central (CST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-5 (CDT)
Zip
61003
Area codes815 & 779
GNIS feature ID424151[1]

Argo Fay is an unincorporated community in York Township, Carroll County, Illinois, United States. Argo Fay is 10.5 miles (16.9 km) south-southwest of Mount Carroll.

The original name of the community was the Bailey settlement or Baileyville,[2] as many local residents had that surname. Joshua Bailey moved to the area in 1839 and built the first church in 1851.

By the mid-1880s,[3] the community name was changed to Argo, and then to Argo Fay a few years later.[4] The first name change was necessitated by the coming of a post office. There was already a Baileyville near Freeport, Illinois, and "Argo" was selected as a replacement, named after the ship of that name in Greek mythology.[5] However, when the railroad came through the area, it already had an Argo on its lines, and it named the stop there "Fay", eventually leading to the combined name of Argo Fay, also spelled Argo Fa,[6] for the community.[2][5]

At one time, the community had a bank, post office, doctor's office, two grocery stores, blacksmith shop, garage, milk factory, barber shop, and pool hall. A local news story in 1968 reported that the post office and railroad had since departed, as had the milk factory[7], bank, and other businesses. One grocery store was then remaining.[5]

References

  1. ↑ "Argo Fay". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved February 16, 2026.
  2. 1 2 Thiem, E. George, ed. Carroll County: A Goodly Heritage, Carroll County Historical Society (1968), p. 127, 417
  3. ↑ Terre Haute Directory & Vigo County Gazetteer (1884) (lists Argo as a post office in Carroll County)
  4. ↑ Church histories - Carroll County Illinois, Retrieved 7 July 2026
  5. 1 2 3 (13 June 1968). A lifelong resident recalls local history, The Lanark Gazette
  6. ↑ (29 October 1953). James Mummert Dies Tuesday At Argo Fa, Lanark Gazette (articles uses Argo Fay and Argo Fa interchangeably)
  7. ↑ (28 March 1969). Sale Final On Factory At Argo Fay, Freeport Journal-Standard (reporting that 15,000 square foot United Milk Products Co. plant had been vacant since United declared bankruptcy in 1965, and plant was being sold to a rubber company)


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