Magnolia tree from 1800s to get historic designation in Montgomery County

A Conroe magnolia tree from the 1800s will this week become the first tree in Montgomery County recognized by the Texas Historic Tree Coalition. 

The large magnolia tree at the entrance to McDade Estates in Conroe will receive a historic marker from the group. The marker will be unveiled in a dedication at 5:30 p.m. Thursday near 1990 O’Grady Drive. The dedication ceremony is open to the public. 

Tree inspired McDade Estates

The sprawling magnolia tree was the inspiration for the McDade Estates neighborhood off FM 2854. 

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“The McDade magnolia tree deserves special recognition as a state historic tree since it was living before there was a Conroe,” said Ron Saikowski, founder of the Root for Conroe tree preservation effort. “That tree has ‘seen’ the growth of Conroe over many decades and is still the stately tree that Lillie McDade fought to preserve in the early 1900s when that tree towered over four stories tall.”

Christine Lazenby is a resident of McDade Estates and has helped organize recognition for the historic tree. 

According to a history of the tree, in 1891, James McDade, the original owner of the land, chose to build his home next to the impressive magnolia tree.

Giant magnolia serves as family tree

Years later when the road now known as FM 2854 was being surveyed, James McDade’s daughter, Lillie, intervened to save the tree by successfully having the road relocated. According to a historical account provided by Lazenby, history records that she stood guard in front of the tree with a shotgun.

Lillie McDade O’Grady died at 99 in October 1992. Thursday’s dedication will take place on her birth date. 

Steve Kasmiersky Sr., a local developer, was also drawn to the tree and wanted to build a neighborhood away from the center of town. O’Grady agreed to sell the property on the condition that she could live next door.

McDade Estates was developed in 1971 with the magnolia as the grand gateway to the neighborhood. A portion of the land was donated to the city and is now McDade Park.

In May 2020, a spring thunderstorm brought down a large branch of the tree. Still, it has continued to flourish through storms and nearby floods from the San Jacinto River. 

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“Additionally it (the tree) has a special place in my own heart as my husband grew up in McDade Estates as a kid climbing this very tree,” she said. “We will have had three generations of our own Lazenby family live in McDade Estates.”

What is the Texas Historic Tree Coalition?

The Texas Historic Tree Coalition is passionate about bringing the story of significant trees to the public. Established in 1995 as the Dallas Historic Tree Coalition, the group’s work took volunteers to places all over Texas and points beyond. In 2014, the group grew to become the Texas Historic Tree Coalition. It’s all-volunteer, nonprofit group according to a description of the group. 

Volunteers promote wise and responsible stewardship of trees and view them as natural assets that must be carefully managed.

See the Texas Historic Tree Coalition website for a database of historic trees across the state. 

Marion Lineberry is president and chairperson of the group’s Historic Tree Committee. 

Members of the tree coalition voted to recognize the historic magnolia earlier this spring based on characteristics of the tree including its growing since the 1800s amidst logging and farming activities and road and housing development, numerous storms and hurricanes, being the homestead of James McDade, the intervention of McDade’s daughter Lillie to save the tree from development and the tree serving as an inspiration for the McDade Estates neighborhood. 

A proclamation will be read by Lineberry at the tree dedication Thursday. Then the tree proclamation along with the Texas Historical Tree Coalition Historic Tree Certificate will be presented to the McDade Estates Homeowners Association.

“The citizens of Conroe want trees preserved. This designation of a state historic tree is one way of protecting this tree when (the Texas Department of Transportation) considers to widen FM 2854,” Saikowski said. “This beautiful magnolia tree deserves to be preserved to continue the beauty of our community.”

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