Conroe, Texas

City of Conroe
—  City  —
Location in Montgomery County in the state of Texas
Coordinates: 30°18′58″N 95°27′32″W / 30.31611°N 95.45889°W / 30.31611; -95.45889Coordinates: 30°18′58″N 95°27′32″W / 30.31611°N 95.45889°W / 30.31611; -95.45889
Country	United States
State	Texas
County	Montgomery
Incorporated	1904
Government
- Type	Council-Manager
- City Council	Mayor Webb K. Melder Marsha Porter Toby Powell Jim Gentry Guy Martin Gil Snider
- City Manager	Paul Virgadamo, Jr.
Area
- Total	37.9 sq mi (98.1 km2)
- Land	37.8 sq mi (97.9 km2)
- Water	0.1 sq mi (0.2 km2)
Elevation	205 ft (62.5 m)
Population (2000)[1]
- Total	36,811
- Density	974.1/sq mi (376.1/km2)
Time zone	CST (UTC-6)
- Summer (DST)	CDT (UTC-5)
ZIP codes	77300-77399
Area code(s)	936
FIPS code	48-16432[2]
GNIS feature ID	1333238[3]
Website	cityofconroe.org

Conroe is a suburban city 40 miles north of Houston in the gulf coastal plains/piney woods region of southeast Texas.

It is the seat of Montgomery County and falls within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area.

As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the city population was 36,811 (though a 2009 estimate placed the population at 53,000.)

History

The city is named after northern born, Southern Cavalry officer, and Houston lumberman Isaac Conroe.^[4] Conroe founded a sawmill there in 1881.^[4] The city originally gained in wealth due to the lumber and oil industries. Originally named "Conroe's Switch",^[4] the area saw an influx of residents in the late 19th century due to the lumber demands on the piney wood forest of the area.^[4]

During the 1930s, due to oil profits, the city boasted more millionaires per capita than any other US city, though only for a brief period of time.^[4] Elvis Presley performed at the High School football field on August 24, 1955. Also Jimmy Buffet performed at the Crighton Theatre in 2009.^[4]

After the construction of Interstate 45, many Houstonians began to settle communities around Conroe.^[4]

Within the first decade of the 21st century the city attracted a great deal of new residents from the Houston area. Renée C. Lee said that Conroe around 2002 was a "a sleepy, semi-rural town 40 miles north of Houston" and that at the time, Conroe city officials needed to use financial incentives to attract home developers to Conroe. Lee said that for a three year period ending in 2007 Conroe become "a hotbed" for construction of new houses.^[5]

Geography

Conroe is located at 30°18′58″N 95°27′32″W / 30.31611°N 95.45889°W / 30.31611; -95.45889 (30.316124, -95.458801)^[6].

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 37.9 square miles (98 km²), of which, 37.8 square miles (98 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km²) of it (0.21%) is water.

Recreation

The city is about 7 miles southeast of popular Lake Conroe ^[4] which is at the center of multiple, year round water and culture events.

The city is served by a number of parks, most notably, Candy Cane Park^[4]

Demographics

As of the census^[2] of 2000, there were 36,811 people, 13,145 households, and 8,728 families residing in the city. The population density was 974.1 people per square mile (376.1/km²). There were 14,378 housing units at an average density of 380.5 per square mile (146.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 71.16% White, 11.13% African American, 0.40% Native American, 0.95% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 13.38% from other races, and 2.93% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 32.62% of the population.

There were 13,145 households out of which 35.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.5% were married couples living together, 13.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.6% are classified as non-families by the United States Census Bureau. Of 13,145 households, 643 are unmarried partner households: 582 heterosexual, 32 same-sex male, and 29 same-sex female households. 27.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.73 and the average family size was 3.33.

In the city the population was spread out with 28.1% under the age of 18, 13.4% from 18 to 24, 31.6% from 25 to 44, 17.3% from 45 to 64, and 9.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females there were 101.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.9 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $34,123, and the median income for a family was $37,201. Males had a median income of $29,468 versus $23,025 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,841. About 15.0% of families and 19.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.3% of those under age 18 and 11.9% of those age 65 or over.

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.^[7]

According to the City's 2009 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,^[8] the top employers in the city are:

#	Employer	# of Employees
1	Conroe Independent School District	5,700
2	Montgomery County	1,946
3	National Oilwell Varco / Texas Oil Tools / Reed Hycalog	1,145
4	Conroe Regional Medical Center	1,200
5	Sadler Clinic	600
6	City of Conroe	470
7	Borden Milk Products	248
8	Capro, Inc.	225
9	Consolidated Communications of Texas	220
10	McKesson Corporation	163

Government and infrastructure

Government

Local government

According to the city’s most recent Comprehensive Annual Financial Report Fund Financial Statements, the city’s various funds had $58.3 million in Revenues, $71.6 million in expenditures, $69.6 million in total assets, $7.6 million in total liabilities, and $57.5 million in investments. :^[9]

The structure of the management and coordination of city services is:^[10]

Department	Director
City Manager	Paul Virgadamo, Jr.
City Secretary	Marla Porter
City Attorney	Marcus Winberry
Assistant City Manager
Finance Director	Steve Williams
Police Chief	Philip Dupuis
Fire chief	Ken Kreger
Parks Director	Mike Riggens
Public Works Director	Dean Towery
Community Development Director	Guy Andrews
Human Resources Director	Lee Ann Espinola

The city employs 108 police officers, as of October 2009.^[4]

Public libraries

The county operates the main branch of the Montgomery County Memorial Library System.

State government

Conroe is represented in the Texas Senate by Republican Robert Nichols, District 3, and in the Texas House of Representatives by Republican Brandon Creighton, District 9.

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) operates the Conroe District Parole Office in Conroe.^[11]

Federal government

At the Federal level, the two U.S. Senators from Texas are Republicans John Cornyn and Kay Bailey Hutchison; Conroe is part of Texas' US Congressional 8th District, which is currently represented by Republican Kevin Brady.

The United States Postal Service Conroe Post Office is located at 809 West Dallas Street.^[12]

Education

Colleges and universities

The city is served by the Lone Star College System primarily 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.[2] The territory in Conroe ISD joined the community college district in 1991, and the territory in Willis ISD joined the district in 1996.^[13]

Public school districts

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.

Conroe Independent School District

All of the schools listed here are in the city of Conroe. All of the Conroe ISD section of Conroe is zoned to Conroe High School [3].

Public elementary and middle schools

The two junior high schools that serve the CISD portion are:

• John V. Peet Junior High School
• Washington Junior High School

The three intermediate schools that serve the CISD portion are:

• Cryar Intermediate School
• Travis Intermediate School
• Bozman Intermediate School

The elementary schools that serve the CISD portion 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

Willis Independent School District

The Willis ISD section is zoned to Turner Elementary School [4], Brabham Middle School [5], and Willis High School [6], all of which are in unincorporated Montgomery County.

Depot Childcare

• Depot Childcare

Private schools

• Covenant Christian School
• Lifestyle Christian School

Transportation

Interstate 45 directly connects the city with Houston to its South and with Dallas to its North.

Lone Star Executive Airport provides general aviation services to Conroe.

Greyhound Bus Lines operate a small station [7].

Notable natives

• Colin Edwards, Two-time World Superbike champion and current MotoGP rider.
• Rock Cartwright, NFL Runningback, Washington Redskins
• Kevin Slowey, starting pitcher for the MLB's Minnesota Twins.^[14]
• Brandon Allen, Major League Baseball player.
• Brian Barkley, former pitcher for the Boston Red Sox.
• Michael de la Force, International Publisher and a member of Fourth Estate based in New York City.
• Andrew Cashner, Conroe High School 2005, drafted to the Chicago Cubs.
• Jeromy Burnitz, Conroe High School 1987 Drafted by the New York Mets in 1990, played for Milwaukee Brewers.
• Kyle Bennett, American professional BMX Racer.
• Corinna Kirsch, art critic and curator. Awards and honors include: 2009 - 2010 O'Brien Curatorial Fellow at the Weisman Art Museum and Winner of the 2010 C Magazine New Critics Competition for Art Criticism.^[15]

.

References

1. ^ "US Census Bureau Population Finder: Baytown city, TX". factfinder.census.gov. http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/SAFFFacts?_event=Search&geo_id=16000US4815652&_geoContext=01000US%7C04000US48%7C16000US4815652&_street=&_county=conroe&_cityTown=conroe&_state=04000US48&_zip=&_lang=en&_sse=on&ActiveGeoDiv=geoSelect&_useEV=&pctxt=fph&pgsl=160&_submenuId=factsheet_1&ds_name=DEC_2000_SAFF&_ci_nbr=null&qr_name=null&reg=null%3Anull&_keyword=&_industry=. Retrieved 2007-07-01. 
2. ^ ^{a b} "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
3. ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. http://geonames.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
4. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i j} http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/CC/hec3.html
5. ^ Lee, Renée C. "Conroe housing market going through the roof." Houston Chronicle. April 29, 2007. Retrieved on January 15, 2010.
6. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/gazette.html. Retrieved 2011-04-23. 
7. ^ Dawson, Jennifer. "Exxon Mobil campus ‘clearly happening’." Houston Business Journal. Friday January 15, 2010. 2. Retrieved on January 16, 2010.
8. ^ City of Conroe 2009 CAFR, page 115 Retrieved on 2010-11-09
9. ^ City of Conroe 2009 CAFR Retrieved 2010-11-09
10. ^ City of Conroe 2009 CAFR, page 7 Retrieved 2010-11-09
11. ^ "Parole Division Region I." Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved on May 15, 2010.
12. ^ "Post Office Location - CONROE." United States Postal Service. Retrieved on December 8, 2008.
13. ^ "History." North Harris Montgomery Community College District. December 22, 2002. Retrieved on April 5, 2010.
14. ^ [1]
15. ^ http://www.corinnakirsch.com

External links

Houston portal

• Conroe Convention & Visitors Bureau
• Conroe in Handbook of Texas
• Official city webpage
• Conroe Area Chamber of Commerce
• Conroe School District