90 Years: As Conroe Has Grown, so Has the Chamber
By Matt Beardmore
Ninety years ago, the dirt streets in Conroe, Texas, were just being paved as it was enjoying an economic boom during the Great Depression.
That growth has continued as Conroe has become a thriving city and county seat in Montgomery County that serves more than the 100,000-plus people who call it home.
Named after Isaac Conroe, a former Illinois Civil War captain who founded the city and helped it flourish as a lumber town in the 1880s, Conroe “blossomed into a major shipping center for livestock, lumber and crops with lumber mills, brickyards, a cotton gin, as well as hotels, general stores and a rapidly growing population before the turn of the century,” according to the City of Conroe website.
But, as the Great Depression took hold, George W. Strake hit oil on Dec. 13, 1931, on the 8,500 acres he leased just southeast of Conroe. It changed the city’s fortunes long into the future, making it a destination for those looking for a better life and, indirectly, serving as the impetus for the creation of the Chamber.
“While the rest of the country was still languishing in the Great Depression, Conroe had an economic boom,” said Larry Foerster, chair of the Montgomery County Historical Commission and a Conroe resident since 1978. “There were thousands of men from around the country that moved into Conroe just to find work in the oil fields.”
Due to this oil boom, Conroe at one point reportedly had more millionaires per capita than anywhere else in the United States. Among those wealthy Conroe residents who made it big thanks to the oil boom was Mayor Harry Crighton, who “sold his drugstore to pursue the oil business.” Crighton was a strong proponent of the creation of a Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce, now known as the Conroe/Lake Conroe Chamber of Commerce.
Two days after the Chamber was officially organized on May 30, 1934, a Conroe Courier article about the new organization delivered this message: “If we are to have new industries, more paved streets, better living conditions for our farmers we must concentrate our efforts. The Chamber of Commerce is the best known medium by which our efforts may be concentrated. Boost the Chamber of Commerce.”
The development of the Chamber followed a failed attempt to form one in the 1920s. There were two main reasons it was unsuccessful, according to Foerster. “Number 1, we had World War I and with a lot of men off to war, much of the business focus during that time period was winning the war,” he said. “Also during that time we had Prohibition and a lot of saloons and other small businesses shut down. It wasn’t a good time for business.”
Timber and agriculture were Conroe’s biggest businesses in the 1920s. At the time, Conroe, even within the city limits, was a very rural area. The city started to transform in the 30s.
During that decade, Harry Crighton promoted the development of new paved roads – one of which (the current-day Crighton Road) connected Highway 75 to the oilfields in order for trucks to avoid driving through downtown Conroe.
Crighton shared his wealth and passion to make Conroe a better place as he “hired architect Blum E. Hester to build a movie palace similar to the great Majestic Theatre in Houston using native stone like that of the capitol in Austin.” Crighton Theatre opened in 1935 and “became the crown jewel of downtown,” Foerster said.
The theatre – today located around the corner from the Owen Theatre, which was built in 1946 as the Weisinger Pontiac/GMC Dealership – closed in the mid-60s but was completely restored in 1978 through the efforts of community leaders.
“This new community pride came from the people who, even if they weren’t millionaires, were at least prospering in their businesses,” said Foerster, a former Chamber board chairman. “They said, ‘we need to do more – we need to put Conroe on the map.’ ”
Conroe, the county seat of Montgomery County and the birthplace of the Lone Star Flag, now holds a prominent place on the Texas map. The city’s population, according to the U.S. Census, was 101,405 in July 2022. From July 2015 to July 2016, the population of Conroe increased by nearly 6,000 – or 7.8% – to 82,286, making it the fastest growing city in the nation during that time among those with at least 50,000 residents.
Foerster said that Conroe’s reach goes much further than the 100,000-plus residents who call it home. The area's major hospitals, strong business community (the Chamber is a 5-Star accredited chamber) and thriving downtown area are big draws for those who reside outside the Conroe city limits. Conroe is also home to the 22,000-acre Lake Conroe, W.G. Jones State Forest and Sam Houston National Park.
“People can go boat or enjoy the restaurants and the outdoor entertainment (at Lake Conroe),” Foerster added. “Then with the growth of downtown Conroe, there are more bars and theaters and shopping venues that are attractive to people, including young professionals.”
“The quality of life makes Conroe a great place to visit and to live,” he added. “People have moved here because of job opportunities. The schools are perceived to be better, as are the quality of the medical services. People also want more space and to escape the congestion in Houston.”
The construction of I-45 was instrumental in the growth of Conroe, although there are concerns that the existing transportation infrastructure cannot meet the area’s growth and expansion. Part of the area’s growth has been impacted by the development of The Woodlands community, which celebrates 50 years in 2024. “The growth of The Woodlands stimulated more interest in Conroe,” Foerster said. “More businesses and professional people wanted to come – with that business growth came business and professional people interested in the Chamber of Commerce.”
Over the past 90 years, the Chamber has grown from three charter members – The Conroe Courier, Gulf States Utilities Company, and The Conroe-Lufkin Telephone Exchange – to more than 1,000 today. Throughout its history, the Chamber has lent its support and helped incubate countless community organizations, initiatives, and events, such as the 1949 Montgomery County Historicade celebration that honored the area’s pioneers, Montgomery County Fair Association, the creation of Lake Conroe, the Conroe-North Houston Regional Airport, and Leadership Montgomery County.
The Chamber’s dedication to “improving the economic quality of life in Montgomery County” is unquestioned. The organization has played a significant role in creating the business-friendly atmosphere that the Conroe Economic Development Council says, “attracts a wide variety of industries ranging from tourism and dining to distribution, manufacturing, and professional services.”
Conroe is clearly a much different place than when Foerster arrived in 1978 when he was hired as an Assistant District Attorney at the downtown courthouse. “I wouldn’t call it a backwater town when I arrived – there were over 10,000 people here – but it was a small town with only one or two decent restaurants. If you went to the grocery store or post office, chances were good you’d know a number of people in line,” Foerster said.
Foerster said he never expected Conroe to grow as much as it did, but after living here for more than four decades and raising a family with his wife Martha, he has no plans on leaving.
“Our roots are deep in this community,” he said. “We look forward to many good years here in Conroe where the quality of life is as good as you’ll find anywhere.”
1934 – The official formation of the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce takes place in the summer of 1934 with newly-elected mayor of Conroe, H.M. Crighton, calling for its formation. A meeting was held in the Burch Hotel in downtown Conroe on Monday, May 21. Despite the fact that “many who were expected to attend were absent for this meeting,” over 30 business leaders attend to perfect the plans of incorporation.
R.D. Simonton was unanimously nominated to serve as the first Chairman of the Board. According to the Courier, May 25, 1934, Simonton’s roles included: make a budget, “secure the number of prospective members, and work out a plan whereby the organization may be completed without undue delay.”
Only a week or so later, on June 1, 1934, the headline in the Courier reads “Organization of C. of C. is Completed.” With more and more support of the business people in the area, the Chamber was established. Simonton names a committee to select the first Board of Directors for the coming year, and that same month the committee selects the first Chamber of Commerce Secretary (i.e., president) – S.M. Patterson, who came from Austin to serve in that role.
The original leaders of the Chamber waste no time in getting things done for the community. The first meeting for the Board of Directors is Friday, June 27, 1934. During their first meeting, the Board started three separate committees: Good Roads, Agricultural, and Civic Improvement. Securing the completion of Highway 105 is one of the first major areas of focus for the Chamber.
“The Board also voted a resolution of appreciation to Mayor Crighton for furnishing office furniture and to Charles Harritt for transporting it to the Chamber of Commerce office in City Hall,” according to the Courier, June 29, 1934.
1949 – The Chamber plays a major role in the production of Conroe’s Historicade celebration – a five-day event that captures the founding and rich history of Conroe and Montgomery County early pioneers. The event was held in Lewis Park and was put on by a Hollywood producer.
1950s – A small agricultural committee from the Chamber began hosting “Field Days” each year. As time went on, these small events eventually resembled something close to what the community now knows as The Montgomery County Fair. In 1979, the Montgomery County Fair Association was incorporated, separating this new entity from the Chamber.
1965 – In partnership with the local committee of The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, the Chamber helps spread the word about the first annual Go-Texan activities and sporting events. In 2024, the Conroe / Willis / The Woodlands Metro Go-Texan Committee along with the Chamber will be a part of the 59th annual Go-Texan Parade.
1967 – The board of the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce accepts the final drawings for the proposed new Chamber of Commerce building. The location: the corner of West Phillips Street and North Pacific. It would take less than one year for the building to be completed.
1973 – After years of planning and logistics, including much involvement from the Chamber, the completion of the man-made Lake Conroe took place. Later that same year, the lake was filled.
1976 – Sally Copley, former Director for The Heritage Museum of Montgomery County, is awarded Diplomat of the Year in both 1976 and 1979. Copley is the first woman to receive this award. For her work, Copley is awarded two lifetime memberships into the Chamber. In 1976, Copley ranks 5th in the entire nation by the United States Chamber of Commerce for selling Chamber memberships.
1980 – Aimed to give visitors information on events, restaurants, accommodations, and more, the Information Depot, a hub of the Convention and Visitor’s Bureau opens to the public. This building, made to resemble an old-fashioned railroad station is located east of Interstate 45 North near the current main branch of the Montgomery County Library, and later next to the Heritage Museum.
1984 – The Chamber, under its then current name – The Conroe Chamber of Commerce, celebrates its 50th anniversary. Activities and committees were varied, but maintained the common goal of promoting a healthy economic atmosphere while preserving the fine quality of life that the area enjoys.
Charline Muller serves as the first female Chairman of the Board. Several other women would follow, including Donna McVeigh (1996), Sandra Zwick (2000), Jill Vaughan (2003), Rui Martin (2005), Helen Thornton (2012), Tamara Trow (2013), Danielle Scheiner (2014), Patricia Brown (2020), Dr. Rebecca Riley (2021), and current 2024 Chair Jennifer Millington.
1987 – The educational and inspirational program for future leaders now known as Leadership Montgomery County (LMC) is founded by the Chamber as Leadership Conroe. In 1995, this program merges with The Woodlands Area Chamber of Commerce to form Leadership Montgomery County. Today, the program thrives in its ability to enhance business leaders and help them emerge in the area.
The first Lobsterfest is held under the direction of Chamber President Don Moore, who held a similar event in Huntsville (Lobsterfiesta) when he was with the Huntsville Chamber. During the first few years of Lobsterfest, the lobsters were cooked inside the Conroe H.S. kitchen. Grady Spikes served as the inaugural chair of the event, which raised $11,573 in its first year.
1990 – The Chamber hosts its first annual Business EXPO. In 2007, this event was combined with The Chamber’s Culinary Extravaganza event in order to create The Bites to Business Showcase.
1996 – Donna McVeigh, then Chairman of the Board, initiates the first annual Board of Directors Retreat. This retreat has grown into an important and ongoing planning retreat for the upcoming Chamber year.
1997 – The Greater Conroe / Lake Conroe Area Chamber of Commerce is officially created, after the Greater Conroe Chamber of Commerce and the Lake Conroe Chamber of Commerce merge into one organization. Also that year, with great influence from Chamber personnel, Texas legislature officially declares Montgomery County as the Birthplace of the Lone Star Flag.
1999 – The current Chamber of Commerce building, located at 505 West Davis, is completed. The construction of this building is funded by many generous donors and benefactors.
2008 – Former Chamber President E.S. “Stew” Darsey is awarded the Marvin Hurley Award by the Texas Association of Chamber of Commerce Professionals. This is the highest honor that a Chamber of Commerce executive can receive in their career, and only one such distinction is made each year. Also, thanks to many giving benefactors, the final monthly mortgage on the current Chamber of Commerce building is made.
2011 – Chamber President E.S. “Stew” Darsey retires after 17 successful years at the helm of the Chamber.
2012 – The Chamber Board hires Scott Harper as the new President of the Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber celebrates the 25th anniversary of Lobsterfest which has become the organization’s largest fundraiser and one of the community’s premiere events.
2020-2021 – The Chamber modifies its operations during the global pandemic. Networking events and professional business development workshops are held virtually, while other events are cancelled or similarly modified, such as Tastefest and Lobsterfest.
2021 – Scott Harper is named President for the second time, having served previously from 2012-2016.
2023 – The Chamber’s new Wall of Honor is unveiled during a reception at the Chamber. Thirty-three individuals who have made significant contributions to the Chamber and community are included on the Wall of Honor.
2024 – The Chamber begins celebrating its 90th year of continuous operation.
