Description of Argyle Park, 1893

My condo is near Argyle and Winthrop, in an area once known as Argyle Park. Here is an early description from John J. Flinn's book Chicago, the marvelous city of the West: a history, an enyclopedia, and a guide, originally published in 1893.

Argyle Park. Situated on the Evanstpn division of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul R. R., five and a half miles from the City Hall. The history of Argyle Park dates back but a few years. W. C. Goudy owned the land upon which it stands, and to develop it he procured the construction of the railroad. Upon the completion of the road he conceived the idea of building an ideal suburban town. With this end in view he laid out the streets and avenues of generous proportions, platted the ground into lots 50x150 feet, built a depot, macadamized the streets, put in stone curbings and laid concrete sidewalks. To provide a water supply he had the town connected with the Lake View water system. For lighting purposes the town was connected with the gas works. The sanitary conditions of the town are perfect,
there being a double system of sewerage, one to the north and one to the south. Building restrictions and all the little details that go to make the whole perfect have been attended to. A regular force of men is employed to keep the streets in repair, to remove the garbage and to clean the snow from the sidewalks in winter. The Sheridan drive has done wonders for the town as well as for all the North Shore. Many of the residents of Argyle Park never use the steam cars as a means of transportation. A much more charming mode of getting to and from their places of business is a drive of thirty minutes along the incomparable Sheridan road and through matchless Lincoln Park.