Downtown Conroe — Charming in Every Season

While it is true that The Woodlands is only a few minutes’ drive south for residents of Grand Central Park, another venue may satisfy that desire for something a little closer and a little more homegrown — the county seat of Montgomery County, better known as Conroe.

Walking through the downtown streets of Conroe, visitors are greeted by beautifully restored, century-old historic buildings whose charm is part of the story of this city. Perhaps unknown to some, severe fires devastated the downtown area in 1901 and again in 1911, destroying more than 65 businesses.

The Madeley Building — a 100-year-old structure that was once home to a meat market, a ladies dress shop and (perhaps most well-known) a telephone exchange — is now home to the Conroe Art League and a variety of local artists who show and sell their works of art.

The historic Crighton Theater, built in 1934 and modeled after the great Majestic Theatre in Houston, was lovingly restored in the late 1970s to its original glory. The Crighton Theatre remains the jewel and center focus of downtown. Today, it is a venue for live entertainment and theater productions.

Over the past several decades, the city of Conroe has been on a journey to restore its downtown, including new bricked sidewalks and lampposts. Building facades continue to be restored. And breathing new life into the historic area are new businesses, restaurants and events that make downtown Conroe a shopper’s destination.