Conroe is a city in and the
county seat
A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...
of
Montgomery County,
Texas
Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...
, United States, about north of
Houston
Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 in ...
. It is a
principal city
In the United States, a principal city is the core city or cities in a metropolitan area. The largest city in each metropolitan or micropolitan statistical area is designated a "principal city." Additional cities qualify if specified requirements ...
in the metropolitan area.
As of 2021, the population was 98,081, up from 56,207 in 2010. Since 2007, the city has increased in size (and population) by annexation, with the city territory expanding from 52.8 to 74.4 square miles. Some communities have attempted to fight such annexation. According to the
Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal Statistical System of the United States, U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the Americans, Ame ...
, Conroe was the fastest-growing large city in the United States between July 1, 2015, and July 1, 2016.
History
The city is named after Isaac Conroe. Born in the North, he served as a Union Cavalry officer and settled in
Houston
Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 in ...
after the Civil War. There he became a lumberman.
[Jackson,
Charles Christopher]
Conroe, TX.
The Handbook of Texas Online: December 11, 2015. Retrieved March 11, 2018. Conroe founded a sawmill in this area in 1881.
The community built its early economy and wealth on the lumber industry. Originally named "Conroe's Switch",
the community received an influx of workers and residents in the late 19th century who were attracted to the growth of the lumber industry, which harvested the local piney wood forest.
In 1886, Conroe Mill School was established in the expanding town.
Conroe Normal and Industrial College, a school for African Americans, served the area.
Six lynchings were recorded in Montgomery County around the turn of the century, and some suspects were lynched at the courthouse in Conroe. In 1922, a young black man named
Joe Winters was lynched, burned alive on the courthouse square for allegedly attacking a young white woman. Within the black community, it was known he was in a consensual relationship with the woman, who denied it when they were discovered.
In 1941 Bob White was shot to death in the courthouse, during his third trial. The African-American man was arrested in 1936 on charges of assaulting a white woman in
Livingston, Texas
Livingston is a town in and the county seat of Polk County, Texas. With a population of 5,640 at the 2020 census, it is the largest city in Polk County. It is located about 46 miles south of Lufkin and was originally settled in 1835 as S ...
. (Alternative accounts in the black community said they had a standing consensual relationship.) He was first tried there, before an
all-white jury
Racial discrimination in jury selection is specifically prohibited by law in many jurisdictions throughout the world. In the United States, it has been defined through a series of judicial decisions. However, juries composed solely of one racial ...
. They convicted him. The case was appealed with the help of the
NAACP
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is a civil rights organization in the United States, formed in 1909 as an interracial endeavor to advance justice for African Americans by a group including W. E.&nb ...
in Houston because he had not been given a lawyer or been able to contact family, and he was tortured in interrogation. The second trial was held in Conroe for a
change of venue
A change of venue is the legal term for moving a trial to a new location. In high-profile matters, a change of venue may occur to move a jury trial away from a location where a fair and impartial jury may not be possible due to widespread public ...
. Another
all-white jury
Racial discrimination in jury selection is specifically prohibited by law in many jurisdictions throughout the world. In the United States, it has been defined through a series of judicial decisions. However, juries composed solely of one racial ...
convicted White again. The case reached the United States Supreme Court on appeal, which had just ruled that coerced confessions were unconstitutional and remanded the case to the lower court for trial. During the proceedings in the courtroom, in front of the judge and numerous witnesses, the husband of the alleged victim shot White in the back of the head and immediately killed him. The husband was arrested and tried the following week, and was acquitted.
In 1931 George W. Strake discovered the Conroe Oil Field. cDistillate and natural gas were produced from the
Cockfield Formation at a depth of about . cA second well in 1932 produced 1200
BOPD
A barrel is one of several units of volume applied in various contexts; there are dry barrels, fluid barrels (such as the U.K. beer barrel and U.S. beer barrel), oil barrels, and so forth. For historical reasons the volumes of some barrel units ...
. By 1935, the field had produced 40 million barrels of oil.
During the 1930s, because of oil profits, the city briefly boasted more millionaires per capita than any other U.S. city.
After the construction of
Interstate 45
Interstate 45 (I-45) is a major Interstate Highway located entirely within the US state of Texas. While most Interstate routes which have numbers ending in "5" are cross-country north–south routes, I-45 is comparatively short, with the ...
in the postwar period improved automobile access, many Houstonians began to follow the highway to new suburban communities that developed around Conroe.
Geography
The
Office of Management and Budget
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is the largest office within the Executive Office of the President of the United States (EOP). OMB's most prominent function is to produce the president's budget, but it also examines agency programs, pol ...
classifies Conroe as a
principal city
In the United States, a principal city is the core city or cities in a metropolitan area. The largest city in each metropolitan or micropolitan statistical area is designated a "principal city." Additional cities qualify if specified requirements ...
within the metropolitan area. The city is about north of
Houston
Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 in ...
.
Image:Downtown Conroe 5 Wiki.jpg, Downtown Conroe
Image:Downtown Conroe 4 Wiki.jpg, Downtown Conroe
Image:Downtown Conroe Bus Depot Wiki.jpg, Bus depot
Image:Downtown Conroe Crichton 3 Wiki.jpg, Crichton Theater
Image:Downtown Conroe 1 Wiki.jpg, Downtown Conroe
Annexation
When Conroe incorporated in 1904, the city limits encompassed a 5.44 square mile area. From 1970 to 2000, the city limits expanded from 7.15 square miles to 42.35 square miles.
[100 Plus Years of Growth: Conroe's City Limit Expansion 1904 to December 2013.]
City of Conroe, Texas. Retrieved March 12, 2018. Beginning in 2007, the city outlined a plan to continue expanding its city limits through
annexation
Annexation (Latin ''ad'', to, and ''nexus'', joining), in international law, is the forcible acquisition of one state's territory by another state, usually following military occupation of the territory. It is generally held to be an illegal act ...
.
[Kuhles, Beth]
Conroe studies future annexation options.
Houston Chronicle: February 22, 2007. Retrieved March 12, 2018. According to Chapter 43 of the Texas Local Government Code,
home rule
Home rule is government of a colony, dependent country, or region by its own citizens. It is thus the power of a part (administrative division) of a state or an external dependent country to exercise such of the state's powers of governance wit ...
municipalities like Conroe may annex territory that is adjacent to the city's current boundaries, with certain restrictions.
The city's 2007 plan projected doubling its size through a combination of voluntary and involuntary annexations.
[ As of 2020, the city has annexed territory every year since 2007, increasing the city limits from 52.8 to 74.4 square miles.][Mendoza, Jesse]
Conroe expands city limits, tax base through annual annexation program.
''Community Impact Newspaper'': June 8, 2016. Retrieved March 12, 2018.[City Limits through July 2020.]
City of Conroe, Texas. Retrieved October 17, 2020.
In April 2015, residents of the gated community of April Sound filed a lawsuit against Conroe after their community was annexed on January 1, 2015. The lawsuit was dismissed in March 2017.[ Involuntary annexations were a major issue in the 2016 mayoral election, the first after April Sound residents were incorporated into the city. Proponents of annexation contended that it was a useful tool to "promote and facilitate growth and progress," while those in opposition were concerned about whether annexed territories receive a "fair shake" in the negotiations. In 2017, the city council voted in favor of additional involuntary annexations.
]
Ecosystem
Conroe is in the southwest corner of the East Texas Piney Woods
The Piney Woods is a temperate coniferous forest terrestrial ecoregion in the Southern United States covering of East Texas, southern Arkansas, western Louisiana, and southeastern Oklahoma. These coniferous forests are dominated by several sp ...
. The Piney Woods consist of pine trees and hardwood forests. The most common type of tree in the southwest Piney Woods is the loblolly pine
''Pinus taeda'', commonly known as loblolly pine, is one of several pines native to the Southeastern United States, from East Texas to Florida, and north to southern New Jersey. The wood industry classifies the species as a southern yellow pine. ...
. Shortleaf pine
''Pinus echinata'', the shortleaf pine, is a species of pine native to the southeastern United States.
Description
The tree is variable in form, sometimes straight, sometimes crooked, with an irregular crown. The tree reaches heights of with a ...
are also abundant. Pockets of blackland prairie vegetation are also present, but are disappearing due to urbanization
Urbanization (or urbanisation) refers to the population shift from rural to urban areas, the corresponding decrease in the proportion of people living in rural areas, and the ways in which societies adapt to this change. It is predominantly t ...
.["Flood Insurance Study: Montgomery County, Texas and incorporated areas volume 1 of 6"]
Federal Emergency Management Agency: September 23, 2008. Pages 6-8, 13. Retrieved March 11, 2018.
In 1926, the Texas A&M Forest Service purchased 1700 acres of Piney Woods to establish W. Goodrich Jones State Forest. The forest serves as a research and demonstration area for sustainable forestry techniques. The forest also preserves the habitat of the red-cockaded woodpecker
The red-cockaded woodpecker (''Leuconotopicus borealis'') is a woodpecker endemic to the southeastern United States.
Description
The red-cockaded woodpecker is small to mid-sized species, being intermediate in size between North America's two ...
, a species classified in the early 21st century as Near Threatened
A near-threatened species is a species which has been categorized as "Near Threatened" (NT) by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as that may be vulnerable to endangerment in the near future, but it does not currently qualify fo ...
by the IUCN
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN; officially International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natu ...
.
In 2017, Texas A&M asked Conroe state senator Brandon Creighton to author a bill setting aside 10 percent of the forest for educational and research-related development. The bill also opened the possibility of commercial development on the land. Public concern over the bill persuaded Creighton to revise it. The final version, which passed the Senate unanimously, protected the entire forest from development.
Water resources
The West Fork of the San Jacinto River flows through the western edge of Conroe. The entire city is within the river's watershed. The river flows southeast from Lake Conroe
Lake Conroe is a lake in Montgomery County, Texas, United States. Even though it is named Lake Conroe, only a small portion of the lake is in Conroe, Texas. Most of the lake is in unincorporated Montgomery County. The lake lies on the West For ...
, a 19,640 surface acre lake created by a dam in 1973 to establish an alternative source of drinking water for Houston
Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 in ...
.[History of Lake Conroe.]
San Jacinto River Authority. Retrieved March 10, 2018.
Conroe developed over several geologic layers of underground aquifer
An aquifer is an underground layer of water-bearing, permeable rock, rock fractures, or unconsolidated materials (gravel, sand, or silt). Groundwater from aquifers can be extracted using a water well. Aquifers vary greatly in their characterist ...
s, which supply the city with fresh drinking water. Due to rapid development in this area, and the increased population of Conroe and the surrounding area, the groundwater supply is being withdrawn faster than it can be replenished. As a result, the Lone Star Groundwater Conservation District, which oversees groundwater usage in Montgomery County, mandated that Conroe reduce its groundwater usage by 30 percent of 2009 amounts by January 1, 2016.[Jordan, Jay R]
Conroe loses rehearing motion on water lawsuit, could appeal to Texas Supreme Court.
''Houston Chronicle'': March 7, 2017. Retrieved March 11, 2018. As part of the groundwater usage reduction plan, the San Jacinto River Authority The San Jacinto River Authority manages the San Jacinto River (Texas), San Jacinto River and its contributing watershed, which is located in Southeast Texas. The Texas Legislature established the authority in 1937 as the San Jacinto River Conservati ...
began in September 2015 to supplement Conroe's groundwater supply with surface water pumped from Lake Conroe.[ The SJRA charges the city usage fees to cover the cost of pumping and treating the water.][Mendoza, Jesse]
Water dispute costs county residents millions of dollars.
''Community Impact Newspaper'': July 25, 2017. Retrieved March 11, 2018.
On August 27, 2015, the City of Conroe filed a lawsuit against the Lone Star Groundwater Conservation District, claiming that the LSGCD did not have the authority to limit the city's groundwater usage.[ The city also refused to pay SJRA water usage fee increases in 2016, resulting in a separate lawsuit filed by the SJRA against the city.][ The LSGCD and Conroe reached a settlement agreement in January 2019. The SJRA case was dismissed in June 2020.
Parts of Conroe surrounding the West Fork of the San Jacinto River are in a floodplain. Significant flooding occurs along the floodplain when rainfall exceeds nine inches in a 48-hour period. The Conroe area has approximately a 10 percent chance of receiving this much rainfall in any given year.][ Urban development in Conroe and the surrounding area has also exacerbated the risk of flooding.][Zedaker, Hannah]
Montgomery County recovers from historic flood conditions.
Community Impact Newspaper: June 13, 2016. Retrieved March 11, 2018. Montgomery County had 500-year floods in three successive years, in May 2015, April 2016, and August 2017.[Schlafer, Kelly]
Local officials to study flood mitigation in Montgomery County.
''Community Impact Newspaper'': January 24, 2018. Retrieved March 11, 2018. A 500-year flood has a 0.2 percent chance of occurring in a year.[ In addition, a fourth major flood occurred in May 2016, resulting in two major floods in two months.][
The flooding in August 2017 took place during ]Hurricane Harvey
Hurricane Harvey was a devastating Category 4 hurricane that made landfall on Texas and Louisiana in August 2017, causing catastrophic flooding and more than 100 deaths. It is tied with 2005's Hurricane Katrina as the costliest t ...
, when nearly 32 inches of rain fell on the city. To protect the integrity of the dam, San Jacinto River Authority officials released 79,100 cubic feet per second of water from Lake Conroe downstream into the West Fork of the San Jacinto River, exacerbating flooding already taking place in the floodplain.[ Conroe city officials ordered a mandatory evacuation of McDade Estates, a neighborhood on the banks of the river.][ As a response to the flooding, Montgomery County commissioners in October 2017 requested $1.25 million from the federal government for a flood mitigation study, along with an additional $95.5 million to implement various flood mitigation projects.][
]
Demographics
During the first decade of the 21st century, the city attracted many new residents from the Houston area. Renée C. Lee said that Conroe around 2002 was "a sleepy, backwater town" and that at the time, Conroe city officials needed to use financial incentives to attract home developers to Conroe. Between 2003 and 2006, Conroe became a hotbed of construction of new houses. As a result, Conroe's population grew from 36,811 in 2000 to 56,207 in 2010.
As of the 2020 United States census
The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to of ...
, there were 89,956 people, 32,547 households, and 21,369 families residing in the city.
As of the census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...
[U.S. Census website]
United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 13, 2018. of 2010, there were 56,207 people, 18,651 households, and 13,086 families residing in the city. Since the 2010 census, Conroe's population has continued to grow. Between 2014 and 2015, Conroe was the sixth fastest growing city in the United States.[Rhor, Monica, and John D. Harden]
Conroe booming as America's fastest growing city.
Houston Chronicle: May 26, 2017. Retrieved March 13,
2018. The following year, the US Census Bureau reported that Conroe was the fastest-growing large city in the United States. It had a 7.8% growth rate between 2015 and 2016. New housing developments throughout the city have contributed to the rapid population growth.[ Conroe's annexation of growing communities within its ]extraterritorial jurisdiction
Extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ) is the legal ability of a government to exercise authority beyond its normal boundaries.
Any authority can claim ETJ over any external territory they wish. However, for the claim to be effective in the externa ...
has also contributed to its growth.[
The demographics of the city's downtown area south of SH 105 differs from the rest of the city. In 2010,][ the ]population density
Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...
of the entire city was 1066.2 people per square mile (411.7/km). By contrast, the population density downtown was between 3,475.2 and 4,119.3 people per square mile.
The racial makeup of the city was 69.7% White (including Hispanic), 10.3% African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 1.2% Native American, 1.8% Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, less than 0.05% Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...
, 13.7% from other races
Other often refers to:
* Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy
Other or The Other may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack
* ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 3.2% from two or more races. Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...
or Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
of any race were 38.5% of the population. White alone (not Hispanic or Latino) were 48.3% of the total population. In the southern portion of downtown, White alone made up between 20.4 and 22.4 percent, African American were between 19.0 and 20.3 percent, and Hispanic or Latino were between 56.6 and 57.7 percent of the population.
According to the 2016 American Community Survey
The American Community Survey (ACS) is a demographics survey program conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. It regularly gathers information previously contained only in the long form of the decennial census, such as ancestry, citizenship, educati ...
,[ the median income for a household in the city was $50,517 and the median income for a family was $60,087. Males had a median income of $44,343 versus $37,747 for females. The ]per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population.
Per capita i ...
for the city was $28,672. About 12.2% of families and 16.1% of the population were below the poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including 19.4% of those under age 18 and 7.6% of those age 65 or over. In response to income inequality, several non-profit groups including the Montgomery County United Way
United Way is an international network of over 1,800 local nonprofit fundraising affiliates. United Way was the largest nonprofit organization in the United States by donations from the public, prior to 2016.
United Way organizations raise funds ...
, The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army (TSA) is a Protestant church and an international charitable organisation headquartered in London, England. The organisation reports a worldwide membership of over 1.7million, comprising soldiers, officers and adherents col ...
, and the Crisis Assistance Center help provide residents of the area with a variety of services ranging from transportation to food and shelter.
Economy
In the early 1980s, Exxon considered consolidating its employees to a site in Conroe. The company ended the plans after the local oil-based economy collapsed.[Dawson, Jennifer. "Exxon Mobil campus 'clearly happening'." '']Houston Business Journal
American City Business Journals, Inc. (ACBJ) is an American newspaper publisher based in Charlotte, North Carolina. ACBJ publishes The Business Journals, which contains local business news for 44 markets in the United States, Hemmings Motor New ...
''. Friday January 15, 2010
2
Retrieved on January 16, 2010.
According to the City's 2016 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,[City of Conroe 2016 CAFR, page 138](_blank)
Retrieved February 25, 2018 the top employers in the city are:
Culture
Downtown Conroe's Central Business District[ hosts multiple arts venues. The oldest is the Crighton Theatre, which opened on November 26, 1935. The theatre is named after Harry M. Crighton, Conroe's mayor from 1932 to 1933. The theatre functioned as the community's movie theatre until 1967, at which point it fell into disrepair. In 1979 it was renovated, and it now hosts live theatrical productions. Another theatre, the Owen Theatre, is also located in the district. The Central Business District has outdoor performance venues at Conroe Founder's Plaza and Heritage Place, which host multiple festivals throughout the year.
]
The city supports several arts organizations, including the Greater Conroe Arts Alliance. The Alliance is a network of multiple arts groups in the city such as the Conroe Symphony, the Conroe Art League, and the Montgomery County Choral Society. The Alliance also sponsors, along with the state of Texas, the Young Texas Artists Music Competition. The competition, founded in 1983, showcases young musicians who aspire to careers in classical music. In 2009, the city sponsored the Art Bench Project, which converted 13 stone benches scattered throughout the central business district into works of art. Each bench portrays a different part of Conroe's history and culture, from historical figures like George Strake and Charles B. Stewart to contemporary art groups such as the Crighton Players.
Parks and recreation
The city contains multiple parks which document local history. The Heritage Museum of Montgomery County maintains artifacts of Montgomery County's early settlers.
The Lone Star Monument and Historical Flag Park displays the flags that flew over Texas. The flags are positioned in a circle around the park, with a statue of a Texian
Texians were Anglo-American residents of Mexican Texas and, later, the Republic of Texas.
Today, the term is used to identify early settlers of Texas, especially those who supported the Texas Revolution. Mexican settlers of that era are referr ...
in the center. Each flag comes with a plaque that describes its connection to Texas history. At the park's entrance is a statue of Charles B. Stewart, who is claimed to have designed the lone star flag.
Montgomery County War Memorial Park is a memorial to the 166 soldiers from Montgomery County who have been killed in active duty. The park's dedication ceremony was in 1976 and featured a speech by President Gerald Ford
Gerald Rudolph Ford Jr. ( ; born Leslie Lynch King Jr.; July 14, 1913December 26, 2006) was an American politician who served as the 38th president of the United States from 1974 to 1977. He was the only president never to have been elected ...
.[Zedaker, Hannah]
Veteran's memorial commission planning to relocate War Memorial Park.
''Community Impact Newspaper'': June 12, 2017. Retrieved March 15, 2018. In 2017, the Montgomery County Commissioners Court and the City of Conroe agreed to relocate and expand the memorial, to include the names of up to 50,000 soldiers who have lived in Montgomery County.[ As of June 2019, the expansion is ongoing.
]Lake Conroe
Lake Conroe is a lake in Montgomery County, Texas, United States. Even though it is named Lake Conroe, only a small portion of the lake is in Conroe, Texas. Most of the lake is in unincorporated Montgomery County. The lake lies on the West For ...
, northwest of downtown Conroe,[ is a site for such water-based activities as boating and fishing. The most common fish in the lake are ]Largemouth bass
The largemouth bass (''Micropterus salmoides'') is a carnivorous freshwater gamefish in the Centrarchidae ( sunfish) family, a species of black bass native to the eastern and central United States, southeastern Canada and northern Mexico, but ...
, bluegill
The bluegill (''Lepomis macrochirus''), sometimes referred to as "bream", "brim", "sunny", or "copper nose" as is common in Texas, is a species of North American freshwater fish, native to and commonly found in streams, rivers, lakes, ponds and ...
, channel catfish
The channel catfish (''Ictalurus punctatus'') is North America's most numerous catfish species. It is the official fish of Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, and Tennessee, and is informally referred to as a "channel cat". In the United States, the ...
, white bass
The white bass, silver bass, or sand bass (''Morone chrysops'') is a freshwater fish of the temperate bass family Moronidae. commonly around 12-15 inches long. The species' main color is silver-white to pale green. Its back is dark, with white ...
, and hybrid striped bass
A hybrid striped bass, also known as a wiper or whiterock bass, is a hybrid between the striped bass (''Morone saxatilis'') and the white bass (''M. chrysops''). It can be distinguished from the striped bass by broken rather than solid horizont ...
. Crappie
Crappies () are two species of North American freshwater fish of the genus ''Pomoxis'' in the family Centrarchidae (sunfishes). Both species of crappies are popular game fish among recreational anglers.
Etymology
The genus name ''Pomoxis'' ...
may also be found in the early spring and fall.
Government
Local government
For the 2019 Fiscal Year, the city had $157.8 million in revenues and $147.9 million in expenditures. The city's net position was $189.7 million.
The structure of the management and coordination of city services is:
Law enforcement
The Conroe Police Department has 142 full-time police officers and 42 support staff. The department has a number of bureaus. The Uniformed Services Bureau includes the Patrol Division, SWAT
In the United States, a SWAT team (special weapons and tactics, originally special weapons assault team) is a police tactical unit that uses specialized or military equipment and tactics. Although they were first created in the 1960s to ...
a part time unit and honor guard. The Support Services Bureau the Criminal Investigations Division and animal control unit.
On 14 September 1982, Sergeant Ed Holcomb was shot and killed while responding to a domestic disturbance call.
In July 2013, Conroe Police Sergeant Jason Blackwelder was off duty, and he observed store employees chasing a shoplifting suspect. He joined the chase. In an isolated area, Blackwelder killed the suspect with a single gunshot to the back of the head. In June 2014, he was convicted of manslaughter
Manslaughter is a common law legal term for homicide considered by law as less culpable than murder. The distinction between murder and manslaughter is sometimes said to have first been made by the ancient Athenian lawmaker Draco in the 7th cen ...
. He was sentenced to five years' probation
Probation in criminal law is a period of supervision over an offender, ordered by the court often in lieu of incarceration.
In some jurisdictions, the term ''probation'' applies only to community sentences (alternatives to incarceration), such ...
.
Public libraries
The county operates the main branch of the Montgomery County Memorial Library System
Montgomery County Memorial Library System is a public library system in Montgomery County, Texas, United States.
The system operates libraries in several Montgomery County cities and areas.
History
The library started with 1,200 items inside th ...
.
State government
98% of Conroe is represented in the Texas Senate
The Texas Senate ( es, Senado de Texas) is the upper house of the Texas State Legislature. There are 31 members of the Senate, representing single-member districts across the U.S. state of Texas, with populations of approximately 806,000 per cons ...
(District 4 District 4 can refer to:
* District 4, Düsseldorf, in Germany
* District 4, Grand Bassa County, in Liberia
* District 4 (Ho Chi Minh City), in Vietnam
* District 4 (New York City Council), in the United States
*IV District, Turku
The IV Distr ...
) by Republican Brandon Creighton. A small portion of the northern part of Conroe is part of District 3 District 3 can refer to:
*III District, Turku, in Finland
* District 3, Düsseldorf, in Germany
*District 3, Grand Bassa County, in Liberia
* District 3, Malta, an electoral district of Malta
*District 3, a police district of Malta
* Wiedikon, als ...
, represented by Republican Robert Nichols.[Who Represents Me: Districts by City]
Texas Legislative Council. Retrieved on June 17, 2017
In the Texas House of Representatives
The Texas House of Representatives is the lower house of the bicameral Texas Legislature. It consists of 150 members who are elected from single-member districts for two-year terms. As of the 2010 United States census, each member represents abou ...
, 94% of Conroe is part of District 16, represented by Republican Will Metcalf. The southern portion of Conroe is in District 15, represented by Republican Mark Keough
Mark James Keough (born September 30, 1953) is a businessman and a Christian pastor, radio host, and educator from The Woodlands, Texas, who has been serving as the Montgomery County County Judge since January 2019. He previously served as a ...
. Less than 1% of Conroe residents are part of District 3, represented by Republican Cecil Bell, Jr.[
The ]Texas Department of Criminal Justice
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) is a department of the government of the U.S. state of Texas. The TDCJ is responsible for statewide criminal justice for adult offenders, including managing offenders in state prisons, state jails, ...
(TDCJ) operates the Conroe District Parole Office in Conroe.
Federal government
At the Federal level, the two U.S. senators from Texas are Republicans John Cornyn
John Cornyn III ( ; born February 2, 1952) is an American politician and attorney serving as the senior United States senator from Texas, a seat he has held since 2002. A member of the Republican Party, he served as the Senate majority whip for ...
and Ted Cruz
Rafael Edward "Ted" Cruz (; born December 22, 1970) is an American politician and attorney serving as the junior United States Senator from Texas since 2013. A member of the Republican Party, Cruz served as Solicitor General of Texas from ...
. Conroe is part of Texas's 8th congressional district
Texas's 8th congressional district of the United States House of Representatives includes parts of Montgomery County, Walker County, Harris County, Polk County, and all of San Jacinto County. It includes much of the northern outlying areas ...
, which is represented by Republican Kevin Brady.[
The ]United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or Postal Service, is an independent agency of the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for providing postal service in the U ...
Conroe Post Office is located at 809 West Dallas Street.
Education
Colleges and universities
Residents of both Conroe ISD
Conroe Independent School District (CISD) is a school district in Montgomery County, Texas. The district's headquarters are located in the Deane L. Sadler Administration/Technology Center in Conroe. The CISD area, which covers , is part of the ...
and Willis ISD
The Willis Independent School District is a public school district based in Willis, Texas, Willis, Texas, United States.
Located in Montgomery County, Texas, Montgomery County, the district extends into a portion of San Jacinto County, Texas, S ...
(and therefore the whole city of Conroe) are served by the Lone Star College System
Lone Star College (LSC) is a public community college system serving the northern portions of the Greater Houston, Texas, area. In 2017 it enrolled about 95,000 students. The headquarters of the Lone Star College System are located in The Wood ...
(formerly North Harris Montgomery Community College).
It is primarily served by the Lone Star College-Montgomery Campus and LSC University Center. Other campuses in the county include the EMCID Center in New Caney, and the Conroe Center. The territory in Conroe ISD joined the community college district in 1991, and the territory in Willis ISD joined the district in 1996.
The Catholic University of St. Thomas St. Thomas University or University of St. Thomas may refer to:
*Saint Thomas Aquinas University, Colombia
*Saint Thomas Aquinas University of the North, Tucumán province, Argentina
*St. Thomas University (Canada), Fredericton, New Brunswick
*St. ...
opened a campus in Conroe in fall 2020. The Old Conroe Police building has been adapted to serve as a temporary site for up to three years. The permanent campus is proposed to be at Deison Technology Park. Class of 1952 alumnus Vincent D'Amico offered the university of land in east Montgomery County for the project.
Public school districts
Almost all areas of Conroe are within the Conroe Independent School District
Conroe Independent School District (CISD) is a school district in Montgomery County, Texas. The district's headquarters are located in the Deane L. Sadler Administration/Technology Center in Conroe. The CISD area, which covers , is part of the ...
though a small northern section of Conroe is within the Willis Independent School District.
Conroe Independent School District
All of the schools listed here are in the city of Conroe. Approximately 60% of the Conroe ISD section of Conroe is zoned to Conroe High School
Conroe High School is a secondary school in Conroe, Texas. The school is a part of the Conroe Independent School District and serves most of the city of Conroe as well as portions of unincorporated Montgomery County, including the community of ...
though some parts of Conroe attend Oak Ridge High School and Caney Creek High School
Caney Creek High School is a high school in Montgomery County, Texas, near Conroe. It is part of the Conroe Independent School District. Caney Creek serves several areas in Montgomery County, including the city of Cut and Shoot, the unincorpo ...
.
The junior high schools that serve the Conroe High School feeder zone are:
*John V. Peet Junior High School
*Washington Junior High School
*Albert B. Moorhead Junior High School
Some intermediate schools that serve the Conroe High School feeder zone are:
*Cryar Intermediate School
*Travis Intermediate School
*Bozman Intermediate School
Some elementary schools that serve the Conroe High School feeder zone are:
*Anderson Elementary School
*Neil Armstrong Elementary School
*Giesinger Elementary School
*Sam Houston Elementary School
*O. A. Reaves Elementary School
*B. B. Rice Elementary School
*J. W. Runyan Elementary School
*Wilkinson Elementary School
Willis Independent School District
The Willis ISD section is zoned to Turner Elementary School, Brabham Middle School, and Willis High School
Willis High School is a public senior high school in Conroe, Texas, with a Willis postal address. It is a part of the Willis Independent School District.
History
In 2004 the school had about 1,440 students.
Ben Cooper was the principal until 2 ...
.
Private schools
*Sacred Heart Catholic School – Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
*Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a letter ...
* Covenant Christian School
*Lifestyle Christian School
*Montgomery Christian Academy
The closest Catholic high school is Frassati Catholic High School in north Harris County; Conroe is in the school's intended catchment area.
Media
'' The Courier'' is a daily newspaper
A newspaper is a periodical publication containing written information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray background.
Newspapers can cover a wide variety of fields such as politics, business, sports a ...
published in Conroe, Texas, covering Montgomery County. In 2016, the newspaper was purchased by Hearst Communications
Hearst Communications, Inc., often referred to simply as Hearst, is an American multinational mass media and business information conglomerate based in Hearst Tower in Midtown Manhattan, New York City.
Hearst owns newspapers, magazines, televi ...
, a media conglomerate
A media conglomerate, media group, or media institution is a company that owns numerous companies involved in mass media enterprises, such as music, television, radio, publishing, motion pictures, theme parks, or the Internet. According to the ...
which also owns and operates the ''Houston Chronicle
The ''Houston Chronicle'' is the largest daily newspaper in Houston, Texas, United States. , it is the third-largest newspaper by Sunday circulation in the United States, behind only ''The New York Times'' and the ''Los Angeles Times''. With it ...
''.
Two Houston television stations, Ion
An ion () is an atom or molecule with a net electrical charge.
The charge of an electron is considered to be negative by convention and this charge is equal and opposite to the charge of a proton, which is considered to be positive by conve ...
owned-and-operated KPXB-TV
KPXB-TV (channel 49) is a television station licensed to Conroe, Texas, United States, broadcasting the Ion Television network to the Houston area. It is owned-and-operated station, owned and operated by the Ion Media subsidiary of the E. W. Scr ...
(channel 49) and Quest owned-and-operated KTBU
KTBU (channel 55) is a television station licensed to Conroe, Texas, United States, broadcasting the digital multicast network Quest to the Houston area. It is owned and operated by Tegna Inc. alongside CBS affiliate KHOU (channel 11). Bot ...
(channel 55), are licensed to Conroe. Both stations operate from studios located in the city of Houston.
Infrastructure
Transportation
In 2012 the U.S. Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
classified the area around Conroe and The Woodlands as a "large urbanized transit area." This is defined as an area having more than 200,000 residents, which makes it eligible to receive federal transportation funds, particularly to support transit.
*Interstate 45
Interstate 45 (I-45) is a major Interstate Highway located entirely within the US state of Texas. While most Interstate routes which have numbers ending in "5" are cross-country north–south routes, I-45 is comparatively short, with the ...
directly connects the city with Houston
Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 in ...
to its south (40 miles) and with Dallas
Dallas () is the List of municipalities in Texas, third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of metropolitan statistical areas, fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 ...
to its northwest (200 miles).
* Texas Highway 105 connects the city of Cleveland
Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...
to the east and town of Montgomery to the west.
* Texas Loop 336 circles the city of Conroe.
* Conroe-North Houston Regional Airport provides general aviation
General aviation (GA) is defined by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) as all civil aviation aircraft operations with the exception of commercial air transport or aerial work, which is defined as specialized aviation services ...
services to Conroe.
*Greyhound Bus Lines
Greyhound Lines, Inc. (commonly known as simply Greyhound) operates the largest intercity bus service in North America, including Greyhound Mexico. It also operates charter bus services, Amtrak Thruway services, commuter bus services, and pa ...
operate a small station.
*Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Texas
The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (stylized as METRO) is a major public transportation agency based in Houston, Texas, United States. It operates bus, light rail, bus rapid transit, HOV and HOT lanes, and paratransit service ...
(291 Conroe Park & Ride) provide service to Downtown Houston.
*The City of Conroe launched a local bus service, Conroe Connection, in 2015. It runs Monday through Friday, from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm[City of Conroe: Transit.]
Accessed on June 25, 2017.
*Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway BNSF Railway
BNSF Railway is one of the largest freight railroads in North America. One of seven North American Class I railroads, BNSF has 35,000 employees, of track in 28 states, and nearly 8,000 locomotives. It has three transcontinental routes that ...
operates the busy Conroe subdivision, an east-west railroad main line that runs from Silsbee in Hardin County to Navasota in Grimes County. There it intersects a main line running between Fort Worth and Galveston.[
Union Pacific Railroad Corporation operates another busy main line that runs north from Houston in Harris County to Palestine in Anderson County, known as the Palestine subdivision. The two railroads intersect at a diamond in downtown Conroe between Main and First Streets.][
]
Healthcare
In the early 1920s the Mary Swain Sanitarium, was established as the first organized healthcare institution in the city.[ ]
See at
''Houston Chronicle
The ''Houston Chronicle'' is the largest daily newspaper in Houston, Texas, United States. , it is the third-largest newspaper by Sunday circulation in the United States, behind only ''The New York Times'' and the ''Los Angeles Times''. With it ...
''
see at
Press Reader. The Mary Swain Sanitarium was private.
In 1938 the Montgomery County Hospital, a public institution, replaced it. It had 25 beds.[ The hospital closed after a new hospital of the Montgomery County Hospital District opened in 1982.][
]
Notable people
* Brandon Allen, former Major League Baseball player for Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks (colloquially known as the D-backs) are an American professional baseball team based in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The f ...
* Brian Barkley
Brian Edward Barkley (born December 8, 1975) is an American former professional baseball player. The , left-hander was a relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who worked in six games pitched for the Boston Red Sox in the 1998 season.
Biogra ...
, former pitcher for Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ...
* Kyle Bennett, professional BMX racer
* Richard Bradford, motion picture and television actor, notable leading roles in ''Man in the Suitcase'', ''The Untouchables'' and ''Trip to Bountiful''
* Clarence Lee Brandley, exonerated prisoner
*Jeromy Burnitz
Jeromy Neal Burnitz (born April 15, 1969) is an American former professional baseball player. Burnitz was a right fielder in Major League Baseball who played with the New York Mets (1993–94, 2002–03), Cleveland Indians (1995–96), Milwaukee B ...
, Conroe High School 1987, baseball player drafted by New York Mets
The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. They are one of two major league ...
in 1990, played for Milwaukee Brewers
*Rock Cartwright
Roderick Rashaun Cartwright (born December 3, 1979) is a former American football running back in the National Football League (NFL). He was named Offensive Quality Control coach of the Cleveland Browns in February 2016. He was drafted by the W ...
, NFL running back, San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National ...
*Andrew Cashner
Andrew Burton Cashner (born September 11, 1986) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres, Miami Marlins, Texas Rangers (baseball), Texas Rangers, Baltimor ...
, Conroe High School 2005, drafted by Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the National League (NL) Central division. The club plays its home games at Wrigley Field, which is located ...
, pitcher for Texas Rangers
*Jonathan Daviss
Jonathan Pierce Daviss (born February 28, 2000) is an American actor. He stars as Pope Heyward in the Netflix drama series ''Outer Banks.''
Early life
Daviss was raised in Conroe, Texas, and attended Conroe High School
Conroe High School is a ...
, leading role in the Netflix series Outer Banks (TV series)
''Outer Banks'' is an American action-adventure mystery teen drama streaming television series created by Josh Pate, Jonas Pate, and Shannon Burke that premiered on Netflix on April 15, 2020. In December 2021, the series was renewed for a th ...
*Colin Edwards
Colin Edwards II (born February 27, 1974), nicknamed the "Texas Tornado", is an American former professional motorcycle racer who retired half-way through the 2014 season, but continues in the sport as a factory test rider. He is a two-time W ...
, two-time World Superbike champion and former MotoGP rider
*Annette Gordon-Reed
Annette Gordon-Reed (born November 19, 1958) is an American historian and law professor. She is currently the Carl M. Loeb University Professor at Harvard University and a professor of history in the university's Faculty of Arts & Sciences. She ...
, historian and law professor at Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...
, MacArthur fellow
The MacArthur Fellows Program, also known as the MacArthur Fellowship and commonly but unofficially known as the "Genius Grant", is a prize awarded annually by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation typically to between 20 and 30 indi ...
and winner of the Pulitzer Prize for History
The Pulitzer Prize for History, administered by Columbia University, is one of the seven American Pulitzer Prizes that are annually awarded for Letters, Drama, and Music. It has been presented since 1917 for a distinguished book about the history ...
and the National Book Award for Nonfiction
The National Book Award for Nonfiction is one of five U.S. annual National Book Awards, which are given by the National Book Foundation to recognize outstanding literary work by U.S. citizens. They are awards "by writers to writers". The panelists ...
*John Hambrick
John James Hambrick (June 21, 1940 – September 10, 2013) was an American broadcast journalist, reporter, actor, voice over announcer and TV documentary producer.
Career
Broadcast journalist
Hambrick began his television career in 1963 at KR ...
, broadcast journalist, reporter, actor, voice-over announcer, and TV documentary producer
*Matt Lepsis
Matthew Stanley Lepsis (born January 13, 1974) is a former American football offensive tackle of the National Football League (NFL). He was originally signed by the Denver Broncos as an undrafted free agent in 1997 and remained with the team un ...
, former National Football League player for the Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football franchise based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The team is headquart ...
and Super Bowl XXXIII
Super Bowl XXXIII was an American football game played between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Denver Broncos (who were also defending their Super Bowl XXXII championship) and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Atlan ...
winner
*Parker McCollum
Parker Yancey McCollum (born June 15, 1992) is an American Americana and country singer-songwriter based in Texas. The owner of PYM Music, he released his first single and EP in 2013, and his full-length debut album ''The Limestone Kid'' was re ...
, Texas Country musician
*John Monroe (baseball)
John Allen Monroe (August 24, 1897 – June 19, 1956) was an infielder in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is compose ...
, infielder in Major League Baseball for the New York Giants and Philadelphia Phillies
*Kevin Slowey
Kevin Michael Slowey (born May 4, 1984) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. Slowey was selected by the Minnesota Twins in the second round (73rd overall) of the 2005 Major League Baseball Draft. He also played for the Miami Marli ...
, starting pitcher for MLB's Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are an American professional baseball team based in Minneapolis. The Twins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central Division. The team is named after the Twin Cities area w ...
* Grant Stuard, NFL player for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and 2021 Mr. Irrelevant
Mr. Irrelevant is the nickname given to the last pick of the annual National Football League Draft. Although NFL drafts date back to 1936, the first person to be called Mr. Irrelevant was Kelvin Kirk of the 1976 NFL Draft.
History
"Mr. Irrelev ...
Climate
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...
system, Conroe has a humid subtropical climate
A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...
, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.Climate Summary for Conroe, Texas
/ref>
See also
Explanatory notes
References
External links
*
Conroe/Lake Conroe Chamber of Commerce
Conroe in Handbook of Texas
{{authority control
Cities in Montgomery County, Texas
Cities in Texas
County seats in Texas
Greater Houston
Populated places established in the 1880s