Sondra Hernandez Staff writer September 11, 2024

When Conroe Councilman David Hairel sees the Montgomery County Veteran’s Memorial Park, he sees a gateway to the city. 

The park is at the southeast corner of the major intersection of Texas 105 and Interstate 45 leading into downtown Conroe. It was dedicated Memorial Day 2021 and honors Montgomery County’s fallen soldiers and those who served in the military. 

With two large ponds, a row of patriotic flags, a towering digital sign and a new two-story building coming up at the park it is an extremely visible tribute to those who served off a major travel corridor between Houston and Dallas. 

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Seeking increased visibility

That’s just how Jimmie C. Edwards III, chairman of the Montgomery County Veteran’s Memorial Commission that maintains the park, envisioned the space when he launched plans to move the park from a downtown Conroe corner to the interstate. 

The original veterans memorial park was located adjacent to the tax office in downtown Conroe and first dedicated in 1976. Edwards, a U.S. Marine Corps veterans who was injured in service in 1969, led the effort to have the park moved to a more visible location and expanded. 

It’s high visibility and potential to draw visitors from across the U.S. is also a reason the Conroe Industrial Development Corp., board voted in late August to give $100,000 to the commission as it completes its new visitors and education center this fall. 

Boost from the city

The Conroe IDC funds will go to purchase owner furnishing, fixtures and/or equipment, exhibit/collection displays along with technology in the media room at Honored Mission Hall located within The Montgomery County Veterans Memorial Park center. 

The development corporation is a Type B nonprofit development corporation that is operated under the supervision of the Conroe City Council and acts to promote economic development in Conroe. Revenue from a one-half cent sales tax levied by the city for the benefit of the corporation provides incentive funding to attract new and expanded business in the city.

“There are very specific things those funds can be used for and one of those things is museums and tourist facilities,” Hairel, who is also chairman of the development corporation, said. “In the presentation that Judge Edwards and Elizabeth Woods (executive director) gave to the board, they stated that nearly 50,000 people came to the flag park last year. That is a lot of tourism. They may not spend the night here but they buy gas and they eat at local restaurants.” 

In the case of the veterans park, Hairel and the other members of the board felt the park worthy of the funding because of its value to the city and the visitors it brings to town. The board voted unanimously to allocate funds to the veterans commission Aug. 29. 

New visitors center

In June 2021, with assistance from state Rep. Will Metcalf, R-Conroe, it was announced that the park would receive $7 million from the Texas Parks and Wildlife to fund the park’s next phase which is an education center. Construction on the center started in November 2023. 

The two-story building will be located at the south end of the park which is adjacent to the Conroe Central Library. The 11,000 square foot facility will serve as an education center, gathering spot for community events and the headquarters of the commission. 

The building will have displays that contain military memorabilia, historic documents and digital media capabilities to show videos and digital presentations. According to Woods, a media room will be on the second floor of the building. 

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‘A gift to the nation’ 

According to the U.S. Census, there are 32,698 veterans in Montgomery County as of 2021 representing an increase of 11.33% from 2019, when there were 29,370 veterans in the county.

Edwards calls the park a “gift to the nation.” Not only are local fallen soldiers and veterans honored, any veteran from across the U.S. can have his or her named added to “The Line” monument at the park. 

Thus, the park has experienced visitors from all over the nation. 

“I can’t tell you how many families come to the park to see their father’s name or mother’s name (at the park),” she said. “We know that the building will open up a different kind of floodgate for visitors and tourism.” 

Woods said for a five-week period in July and August, the park experienced 11,000 visitors with the summer being a peak time for visitors. 

“The park is a physical, tangible place that you can visit. The building adds another aspect to it. It is a home to be able to house different organizations to be able to exhibit different things,” Woods said. For example, talks are already taking place to host a U.S. Marine Corps reunion group. “This just gives a gathering place for different groups and this will draw people in. They won’t just visit us they’ll stay at hotels and eat somewhere. They’ll also visit places near us.” 

The building is expected to be complete and open in winter 2025. 

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