CONROE - CITY AND SURROUNDS
Conroe — the county seat of Montgomery County — is a modern, bustling city, yet still close to forest and countryside.
A look at Conroe — where civic life and natural spaces sit side by side.
Montgomery County Courthouse - click to enlarge
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Conroe is the county seat and, of course, that means that it is home to the County Courthouse, pictured here.
Conroe is the largest city in Montgomery, with a population in excess of 110,000. Wikipedia quotes: "According to the Census Bureau, Conroe was the fastest-growing large city in the United States between July 1, 2015, and July 1, 2016." |
The Courthouse walkway - click to enlarge
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The Courthouse is located in downtown, and the courtrooms have now spread out into neighboring buildings. To keep everyone either dry, or out of the blazing Texas summer sun, the city has thoughtfully built this patriotically-decorated walkway.
Conroe is far larger than the town of Magnolia (pop. ~9,000), although the population Greater Magnolia, where we now live, is nearing 140,000. |
The Gravel Pit Trail - click to enlarge
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Of course, Conroe is not just the city. The surrounds include countryside with rivers and woodland, including the wonderful W G Jones State Forest.
This public forest is just on the edge of The Woodlands and is known for its trails, lakes and picnic areas. It is yet another haven for wildlife and insects of all shapes and sizes. |
Cypress Knees - click to enlarge
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W G Jones State Forest is part of the western edge of the Piney Woods. One of the most iconic tree types here are the Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum). Pictured here are cypress knees - a kind of aerial root that this species has developed in order to thrive in swampy conditions.
Other distinctive species here include the Sweetleaf or Horse sugar (Symplocos tinctoria). |