Conroe, Texas
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Conroe is a city in and the county seat of Montgomery County, Texas, United States, about Template:Convert north of Houston. It is a principal city in the Template:Nowrap metropolitan area.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
As of 2024, the population was 114,581.<ref name="QuickFacts"/> 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, Conroe was the fastest-growing large city in the United States between July 1, 2015, and July 1, 2016.<ref name="growing" />
HistoryEdit
The city is named after Isaac Conroe. Born in the North, he served as a Union Cavalry officer and settled in Houston after the Civil War. There he became a lumberman.<ref name="tshaonline">Jackson,
Charles Christopher. Conroe, TX. The Handbook of Texas Online: December 11, 2015. Retrieved March 11, 2018.</ref> Conroe founded a sawmill in this area in 1881.<ref name="tshaonline"/> The community built its early economy and wealth on the lumber industry. Originally named "Conroe's Switch",<ref name="tshaonline"/> 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.<ref name="tshaonline"/>
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.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> 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. (Alternative accounts in the black community said they had a standing consensual relationship.) He was first tried there, before an all-white jury. They convicted him. The case was appealed with the help of the NAACP 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. Another all-white jury 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. Distillate and natural gas were produced from the Cockfield Formation at a depth of about Template:Convert. cA second well in 1932 produced 1200 BOPD. By 1935, the field had produced 40 million barrels of oil.<ref name=oo>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
During the 1930s, because of oil profits, the city briefly boasted more millionaires per capita than any other U.S. city.<ref name="tshaonline"/> After the construction of Interstate 45 in the postwar period improved automobile access, many Houstonians began to follow the highway to new suburban communities that developed around Conroe.<ref name="tshaonline"/>
GeographyEdit
The Office of Management and Budget classifies Conroe as a principal city within the Template:Nowrap metropolitan area.<ref>OMB Bulletin 15-01, Revised Delineations of Metropolitan Statistical Areas, Micropolitan Statistical Areas, and Combined Statistical Areas, and Guidance on Uses of the Delineations of These Areas. Office of Management and Budget: July 15, 2015. Page 35. Retrieved March 11, 2018.</ref> The city is about Template:Convert north of Houston.<ref>"Pilot Lands Small Plane On Conroe Street". KBTX. Associated Press. January 4, 2012. Retrieved on January 5, 2012.</ref>
AnnexationEdit
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.<ref name=annexmap>100 Plus Years of Growth: Conroe's City Limit Expansion 1904 to December 2013. City of Conroe, Texas. Retrieved March 12, 2018.</ref> Beginning in 2007, the city outlined a plan to continue expanding its city limits through annexation.<ref name=annex2007>Kuhles, Beth. Conroe studies future annexation options. Houston Chronicle: February 22, 2007. Retrieved March 12, 2018.</ref> According to Chapter 43 of the Texas Local Government Code, home rule municipalities like Conroe may annex territory that is adjacent to the city's current boundaries, with certain restrictions.<ref>Local Government Code Sec. 43.003: Authority of Home-Rule Municipality to Annex Area and Take Other Actions Regarding Boundaries. Texas State Legislature: Acts 1987, amended Acts 2017. Retrieved March 12. 2018.</ref> The city's 2007 plan projected doubling its size through a combination of voluntary and involuntary annexations.<ref name=annex2007/> As of 2022, the city has annexed territory every year since 2007, increasing the city limits from 52.8 to 77.5 square miles.<ref name=annexhis>Mendoza, Jesse. Conroe expands city limits, tax base through annual annexation program. Community Impact Newspaper: June 8, 2016. Retrieved March 12, 2018.</ref><ref name=limits>City Limits through April 2022. City of Conroe, Texas. Retrieved December 29, 2022.</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
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.<ref name=annexhis/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 2017, the city council voted in favor of additional involuntary annexations.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
EcosystemEdit
Conroe is in the southwest corner of the East Texas Piney Woods.<ref>Pineywoods Wildlife District. Texas Parks and Wildlife. Retrieved March 10, 2018.</ref> 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. Shortleaf pine are also abundant.<ref>Pineywoods Wildlife Management. Texas Parks and Wildlife. Retrieved March 10, 2018.</ref> Pockets of blackland prairie vegetation are also present, but are disappearing due to urbanization.<ref name=FEMA>"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.</ref>
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, a species classified in the early 21st century as Near Threatened by the IUCN.<ref>W. Goodrich Jones State Forest. Texas A&M Forest Service. Retrieved March 11, 2018.</ref><ref>Template:Cite iucn</ref>
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.<ref>Fletcher, Abner. The Present and Future of the W.G. Jones State Forest. Houston Public Media: April 11, 2017. Retrieved March 11, 2018.</ref> Public concern over the bill persuaded Creighton to revise it. The final version, which passed the Senate unanimously, protected the entire forest from development.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Water resourcesEdit
The West Fork of the San Jacinto River flows through the western edge of Conroe. The entire city is within the river's watershed.<ref>West Fork San Jacinto Watershed Greenprint. The Trust for Public Land: July 2016. Retrieved March 10, 2018.</ref> The river flows southeast from Lake Conroe, a 19,640 surface acre lake created by a dam in 1973 to establish an alternative source of drinking water for Houston.<ref name=SJRA>History of Lake Conroe. San Jacinto River Authority. Retrieved March 10, 2018.</ref>
Conroe developed over several geologic layers of underground aquifers, which supply the city with fresh drinking water.<ref>Ground-Water resources of Montgomery County, Texas. Texas Water Development Board: November 1971. Pages 9-15. Retrieved March 11, 2018.</ref> 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.<ref>Oden, Timothy D. Groundwater Environmental Tracer Data Collected from the Chicot, Evangeline, and Jasper Aquifers in Montgomery County and Adjacent Counties, Texas, 2008. United States Geological Survey: 2011. Pages 1-7. Retrieved March 11, 2018.</ref> 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.<ref name=chronground>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.</ref> As part of the groundwater usage reduction plan, the San Jacinto River Authority began in September 2015 to supplement Conroe's groundwater supply with surface water pumped from Lake Conroe.<ref name=SJRA/> The SJRA charges the city usage fees to cover the cost of pumping and treating the water.<ref name=impactground>Mendoza, Jesse. Water dispute costs county residents millions of dollars. Community Impact Newspaper: July 25, 2017. Retrieved March 11, 2018.</ref>
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.<ref name=chronground/> 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.<ref name=impactground/> The LSGCD and Conroe reached a settlement agreement in January 2019.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The SJRA case was dismissed in June 2020.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Parts of Conroe surrounding the West Fork of the San Jacinto River are in a floodplain.<ref>Montgomery County Floodplain Viewer. Montgomery County, Texas, Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Retrieved March 11, 2018.</ref> 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.<ref name=FEMA/> Urban development in Conroe and the surrounding area has also exacerbated the risk of flooding.<ref name=flood1>Zedaker, Hannah. Montgomery County recovers from historic flood conditions. Community Impact Newspaper: June 13, 2016. Retrieved March 11, 2018.</ref> Montgomery County had 500-year floods in three successive years, in May 2015, April 2016, and August 2017.<ref name=flood2>Schlafer, Kelly. Local officials to study flood mitigation in Montgomery County. Community Impact Newspaper: January 24, 2018. Retrieved March 11, 2018.</ref> A 500-year flood has a 0.2 percent chance of occurring in a year.<ref name=FEMA/> In addition, a fourth major flood occurred in May 2016, resulting in two major floods in two months.<ref name=flood1/>
The flooding in August 2017 took place during Hurricane Harvey, when nearly 32 inches of rain fell on the city.<ref name=flood3>Template:Cite news</ref> 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.<ref name=flood2/> Conroe city officials ordered a mandatory evacuation of McDade Estates, a neighborhood on the banks of the river.<ref name=flood3/><ref>Osborne, Ryan. "40 miles from downtown Houston, 'We thought the rain was going to come but not floodTemplate:'" Star-Telegram: August 30, 2017. Retrieved March 11, 2018.</ref> 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.<ref name=flood2/>
DemographicsEdit
Template:US Census population Template:Cbignore
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.<ref>Lee, Renée C. "Conroe housing market going through the roof." Houston Chronicle. April 29, 2007. Retrieved on January 15, 2010.</ref> As a result, Conroe's population grew from 36,811 in 2000 to 56,207 in 2010.
| Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | citation | CitationClass=web
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Template:Partial<ref name=2020CensusP2>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
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% 2000 | % 2010 | Template:Partial |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 20,060 | 27,147 | 45,272 | 54.49% | 48.30% | 50.33% | |||
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 4,015 | 5,552 | 8,951 | 10.91% | 9.88% | 9.95% | |||
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 82 | 178 | 299 | 0.22% | 0.32% | 0.33% | |||
| Asian alone (NH) | 323 | 988 | 2,412 | 0.88% | 1.76% | 2.68% | |||
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 11 | 13 | 85 | 0.03% | 0.02% | 0.09% | |||
| Some Other Race alone (NH) | 32 | 58 | 348 | 0.09% | 0.10% | 0.39% | |||
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | 282 | 610 | 3,112 | 0.77% | 1.09% | 3.46% | |||
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 12,006 | 21,661 | 29,477 | 32.62% | 38.54% | 32.77% | |||
| Total | 36,811 | 56,207 | 89,956 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 89,956 people, 32,547 households, and 21,369 families residing in the city.
As of the census<ref name=Factfinder>U.S. Census website United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 13, 2018.</ref> 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.<ref name=chrongrowth>Rhor, Monica, and John D. Harden. Conroe booming as America's fastest growing city. Houston Chronicle: May 26, 2017. Retrieved March 13,
2018.</ref> 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.<ref name=growing>"The 15 Fastest-Growing Large Cities between July 1, 2015, and July 1, 2016 (Populations of 50,000 or more in 2015)" Vintage 2016 population estimates: United States Census Bureau. Accessed on June 15, 2017.</ref><ref name=A>Template:Cite news</ref> New housing developments throughout the city have contributed to the rapid population growth.<ref name=chrongrowth/> Conroe's annexation of growing communities within its extraterritorial jurisdiction has also contributed to its growth.<ref name=annexhis/>
The racial makeup of the city was 69.7% White (including Hispanic), 10.3% African American, 1.2% Native American, 1.8% Asian, less than 0.05% Pacific Islander, 13.7% from other races, and 3.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 38.5% of the population. White alone (not Hispanic or Latino) were 48.3% of the total population.
According to the 2016 American Community Survey,<ref name=Factfinder/> 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 for the city was $28,672. About 12.2% of families and 16.1% of the population were below the poverty line, 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, The Salvation Army, and the Crisis Assistance Center help provide residents of the area with a variety of services ranging from transportation to food and shelter.<ref>Mendoza, Jesse. Economic inequality challenges cities. Community Impact Newspaper: February 24, 2016. Retrieved March 14, 2018.</ref>
EconomyEdit
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.<ref name="DawsonExxon2">Dawson, Jennifer. "Exxon Mobil campus 'clearly happening'." Houston Business Journal. Friday January 15, 2010. 2. Retrieved on January 16, 2010.</ref>
According to the city's 2016 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,<ref name="City of Conroe 2016 CAFR">City of Conroe 2016 CAFR, page 138 Retrieved February 25, 2018</ref> the top employers in the city are:
| # | Employer | # of Employees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Conroe Independent School District | 7,200 |
| 2 | Montgomery County | 2,166 |
| 3 | Conroe Regional Medical Center | 1,226 |
| 4 | City of Conroe | 529 |
| 5 | Community Pathology Associates | 424 |
| 6 | National Oilwell Varco - Downhole | 400 |
| 7 | Tony Gullo Motors | 305 |
| 8 | Lowe's | 300 |
| 9 | Medivators, Inc. | 300 |
| 10 | Walmart | 300 |
CultureEdit
Downtown Conroe's Central Business District<ref name=limits/> 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.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Another theatre, the Owen Theatre, is also located in the district.<ref>Mendoza, Jesse. Stage set for new performing arts venues in Conroe. Community Impact Newspaper: February 22, 2018. Retrieved March 15, 2018.</ref> The Central Business District has outdoor performance venues at Conroe Founder's Plaza and Heritage Place, which host multiple festivals throughout the year.<ref>Mendoza, Jesse. Downtown initiatives aim to attract visitors. Community Impact Newspaper: July 15, 2015. Retrieved March 15, 2018.</ref>
The city supports several arts organizations, including the Greater Conroe Arts Alliance.<ref>Greater Conroe Arts Alliance unveils two sculptures honoring the arts in Conroe. Conroe Today: July 16, 2013. Retrieved March 15. 2018.</ref> 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.<ref>Current Member Organizations. Greater Conroe Arts Alliance.</ref> 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.<ref>Young Texas Artists Music Competition's Bach, Beethoven & Barbecue set for March 10. Houston Chronicle: February 23, 2018. Retrieved March 15, 2018.</ref> 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.<ref>Kuhles, Beth. Conroe art bench project debuts downtown. Houston Chronicle: August 10, 2009. Retrieved March 15, 2018.</ref>
Parks and recreationEdit
The city contains multiple parks which document local history. The Heritage Museum of Montgomery County maintains artifacts of Montgomery County's early settlers.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Barrett, Natasha. Precious relics of Texas history stolen from Heritage Museum. Eyewitness News: July 19, 2017. Retrieved March 15, 2018.</ref>
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 in the center. Each flag comes with a plaque that describes its connection to Texas history.<ref>Meyer, Brad. Lone Star Flag Park celebrates Texas History. Houston Chronicle': April 15, 2012. Retrieved March 15, 2018.</ref> At the park's entrance is a statue of Charles B. Stewart, who is claimed to have designed the lone star flag.<ref>Spain, Charles A. Who Designed the Lone Star Flag? Template:Webarchive Heritage Volume 18, Number 1: Winter 2000. Retrieved March 15, 2018.</ref>
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.<ref name=impactmemorial>Zedaker, Hannah. Veteran's memorial commission planning to relocate War Memorial Park. Community Impact Newspaper: June 12, 2017. Retrieved March 15, 2018.</ref><ref>Ford, Gerald R. Remarks at Dedication Ceremonies for the Montgomery County War Memorial Park in Conroe, Texas. The American Presidency Project: April 29, 1976. Retrieved March 15, 2018.</ref> 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.<ref name=impactmemorial/><ref>Dominguez, Catherine. Commissioners commit to help fund Montgomery County war memorial. San Antonio Express News: March 30, 2017. Retrieved March 15, 2018.</ref> As of June 2019, the expansion is ongoing.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Lake Conroe, northwest of downtown Conroe,<ref name=limits/> is a site for such water-based activities as boating and fishing. The most common fish in the lake are Largemouth bass, bluegill, channel catfish, white bass, and hybrid striped bass. Crappie may also be found in the early spring and fall.<ref>Lake Conroe. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Retrieved March 15, 2018.</ref>
GovernmentEdit
Local governmentEdit
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.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
The structure of the management and coordination of city services is:<ref>Management Staff. City of Conroe. Retrieved March 29, 2020.</ref>
| Department | Director |
|---|---|
| City Administrator | Paul Virgadamo Jr. |
| City Secretary | Soco Gorjon |
| City Attorney | Marcus Winberry |
| Asst. City Administrator and Chief Financial Officer | Steve Williams |
| Director of Public Works | Norman McGuire |
| Director of Capital Projects/Transportation | Tommy Woolley |
| Director of Community Development | Nancy Mikeska |
| Director of Parks and Recreation | Mike Riggens |
| Director of Human Resources | Andre Houser |
| Chief of Police | Jeff Christy |
| Chief of Fire | Ken Kreger |
| Executive Director of Economic Development | Danielle Scheiner |
Law enforcementEdit
The Conroe Police Department has 142 full-time police officers and 42 support staff.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The department has a number of bureaus. The Uniformed Services Bureau includes the Patrol Division, SWAT 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.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
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. He was sentenced to five years' probation.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Public librariesEdit
The county operates the main branch of the Montgomery County Memorial Library System.
State governmentEdit
98% of Conroe is represented in the Texas Senate (District 4) by Republican Brandon Creighton. A small portion of the northern part of Conroe is part of District 3, represented by Republican Robert Nichols.<ref name=Represent>Who Represents Me: Districts by City Texas Legislative Council. Retrieved on June 17, 2017</ref>
In the Texas House of Representatives, 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 Steve Toth. Less than 1% of Conroe residents are part of District 3, represented by Republican Cecil Bell Jr.<ref name=Represent/>
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) operates the Conroe District Parole Office in Conroe.<ref>"Parole Division Region I Template:Webarchive." Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved on May 15, 2010.</ref>
Federal governmentEdit
At the Federal level, the two U.S. senators from Texas are Republicans John Cornyn and Ted Cruz. Conroe is part of Texas's 8th congressional district, which is represented by Republican Morgan Luttrell.<ref name=Represent/>
The United States Postal Service Conroe Post Office is located at 809 West Dallas Street.<ref>"Post Office Location - CONROE." United States Postal Service. Retrieved on December 8, 2008.</ref>
EducationEdit
Colleges and universitiesEdit
Residents of both Conroe ISD and Willis ISD (and therefore the whole city of Conroe) are served by the Lone Star College System (formerly North Harris Montgomery Community College).<ref>Texas Education Code, Sec. 130.191. LONE STAR COLLEGE SYSTEM DISTRICT SERVICE AREA..</ref>
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.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The territory in Conroe ISD joined the community college district in 1991, and the territory in Willis ISD joined the district in 1996.<ref>"History." North Harris Montgomery Community College District. December 22, 2002. Retrieved on April 5, 2010.</ref>
The Catholic University of St. Thomas 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 Template:Convert of land in east Montgomery County for the project.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Public school districtsEdit
Almost all areas of Conroe are within the Conroe Independent School District though a small northern section of Conroe is within the Willis Independent School District, and a western section is in the Montgomery Independent School District.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Conroe Independent School DistrictEdit
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<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> though some parts of Conroe attend Oak Ridge High School and Caney Creek High School.
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 DistrictEdit
The Willis ISD section is zoned to Turner Elementary School,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Brabham Middle School,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and Willis High School.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Private schoolsEdit
- Sacred Heart Catholic School – Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston
- 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.<ref name=Dominguezbreaks>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
MediaEdit
The Courier is a daily newspaper published in Conroe, Texas, covering Montgomery County. In 2016, the newspaper was purchased by Hearst Communications, a media conglomerate which also owns and operates the Houston Chronicle.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Two Houston television stations, Ion owned-and-operated KPXB-TV (channel 49) and Quest owned-and-operated KTBU (channel 55), are licensed to Conroe. Both stations operate from studios located in the city of Houston.
Two low-power FM radio stations, KZCW-LP (104.5 FM) and KZCC-LP (106.1 FM), are owned by the city.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The stations were purchased for emergency broadcasts during natural and civil emergencies, but air local and regional content when these are not a threat. Content is usually simulcast on the city's official cable television channel 12 "Our City TV" on the Consolidated and Optimum providers.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
InfrastructureEdit
TransportationEdit
In 2012 the U.S. Census Bureau 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.<ref>Lee, Renée C. "Growth transforms rural areas north of Houston to urban centers." Houston Chronicle. Saturday, October 6, 2012. Retrieved on October 7, 2012.</ref>
- Interstate 45 directly connects the city with Houston to its south (40 miles) and with Dallas to its northwest (200 miles).
- Texas Highway 105 connects the city of Cleveland 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 services to Conroe.
- Greyhound Bus Lines operate a small station.<ref>Greyhound Conroe</ref>
- Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Texas (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<ref name=transport>City of Conroe: Transit. Accessed on June 25, 2017.</ref>
- Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway BNSF Railway 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.<ref name=transport/>
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.<ref name=transport/>
HealthcareEdit
In the early 1920s the Mary Swain Sanitarium, was established as the first organized healthcare institution in the city.<ref name="HernandezMont">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }} - See at Houston Chronicle, see at PressReader.</ref> The Mary Swain Sanitarium was private.<ref name=staffrep2017>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
In 1938 the Montgomery County Hospital, a public institution, replaced it. It had 25 beds.<ref name=staffrep2017/> The hospital closed after a new hospital of the Montgomery County Hospital District opened in 1982.<ref name=HernandezMont/>
Notable peopleEdit
- Brandon Allen, former Major League Baseball player for Arizona Diamondbacks<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref>
- Brian Barkley, former pitcher for Boston Red Sox<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref>
- Kyle Bennett, professional BMX racer<ref>Mulvaney, Erin, and David Barron. Former Olympian cyclist dies in overnight crash. Houston Chronicle: October 15, 2012. Accessed on July 4, 2017.</ref>
- Richard Bradford, motion picture and television actor, notable leading roles in Man in the Suitcase, The Untouchables and Trip to Bountiful<ref>Hayward, Anthony. Obituary: Richard Bradford, American television and film actor. The Scotsman: April 13, 2016. Accessed on July 5, 2017.</ref>
- Clarence Lee Brandley, exonerated prisoner
- Jeromy Burnitz, Conroe High School 1987, baseball player drafted by New York Mets in 1990; played for seven major league teams over a fourteen-year career<ref>Jeromy Burnitz Stats Baseball Almanac. Accessed on July 4, 2017.</ref>
- Rock Cartwright, NFL running back, San Francisco 49ers<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- Andrew Cashner, Conroe High School 2005, drafted by Chicago Cubs, pitcher for Texas Rangers<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref>
- Jonathan Daviss, leading role in the Netflix series Outer Banks
- Colin Edwards, two-time World Superbike champion and former MotoGP rider<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- Annette Gordon-Reed, historian and law professor at Harvard University, MacArthur fellow and winner of the Pulitzer Prize for History and the National Book Award for Nonfiction<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref>
- John Hambrick, broadcast journalist, reporter, actor, voice-over announcer, and TV documentary producer
- Matt Lepsis, former National Football League player for the Denver Broncos and Super Bowl XXXIII winner
- Parker McCollum, Texas Country musician<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- John Monroe, infielder in Major League Baseball for the New York Giants and Philadelphia Phillies
- David M. Parsons, 2011 Texas State Poet Laureate
- Kevin Slowey, starting pitcher for MLB's Minnesota Twins<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref>
- Grant Stuard, NFL player and 2021 Mr. Irrelevant
- Roger Vick, former NFL fullback
ClimateEdit
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Conroe has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.<ref>Climate Summary for Conroe, Texas</ref>
See alsoEdit
Explanatory notesEdit
ReferencesEdit
External linksEdit
Template:Conroe, Texas Template:Montgomery County, Texas Template:Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown MSA Template:Texas county seats