A New Day for the ‘Devil’s Den’
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The old Paul Green Pool Hall situated next to the Crighton
Theatre in downtown Conroe. Whenever it opened,
the pool hall was operated by Paul Green, a decorated
World War I veteran
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After nearly a century of service,
a historical downtown structure – once known to locals as the “Devil’s
Den” for bawdy behavior within – is about to remodeled, refurbished and
given a new lease on life. |
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The Crighton Theatre
Foundation has purchased the building adjacent to the Crighton Theatre
in the 200 block of North Main Street in downtown Conroe to expand its
facilities and better serve the community – ending the structure’s 94
years as an independent building operated as a wide range of businesses
over the years. |
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“I had a long talk with the
Crighton Foundation about their plans,” said Hershey Muse, whose family
had owned the building since 1918. “I’m very pleased with goals and
dreams they have to expand the Crighton Theatre and make it a showplace
for downtown Conroe.” |
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Muse’s grandfather M.J. Ferguson
bought the 3,000-square-foot property in 1918. Ownership of the property
was retained by the family as a number of businesses operated in the
downtown Conroe area over the years. |
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One of the first was a motor car
garage that was a dealership for Brunswick Tires. In the early 20s, the
space was taken over by a retail operation featuring dry goods and a
variety of home furnishings and clothing – an early version of a
department store – known as Grand Leader. |
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The store was part of a chain of
similar department stores. In a 1925 store ad in the Conroe Courier, the
retailer described itself as “Conroe’s Greatest Family Outfitter.” |
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An ad in the Conroe Courier
advertising in January 1925
advertising The Grand Leader store.
By the 30s however, the Great
Depression had thrust much of America into an economic tailspin and
Grand Leader closed its doors. The tile floor bearing the name, however,
would remain – and is still visible through the front windows of the
building. |
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The original tile floor still remains at the bottom of the
Paul Green building next to the Crighton bearing the
name of the Grand Leader store that was open in
Conroe in the 20s.
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Conroe resident John Bozeman
said that the retail operation closed down in the 30s and became a pool
hall – though Muse said the he believes the pool hall did not begin
until the 40s. |
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“The records from that era are
sketchy at best,” said Muse. “It’s tough to say exactly when the
transition actually occurred.” |
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Whenever it opened, the pool
hall was operated by Paul Green, a decorated World War I veteran.
According to the history of Conroe being assembled by Larry Foerster,
chairman of the Montgomery County Historical Commission, the hall was a
dark haven for men – and bold boys – to relax, tell stories and play
pool. |
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Women, however, were not welcome
in Green’s pool hall. |
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“Mothers and grandmothers along
with other decent folk sometimes called the pool hall the ‘Devil’s
Den’,” stated Foerster in his description. “No self-respecting,
church-going woman would step near the place – good girls would run past
the place or cross over to the other side of Main Street to go by.” |
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Former Conroe City Councilman
Jay Ross Martin III and Craig Treadway recalled slipping into the pool
hall via the backdoor when they were high school students – drawn by the
smell of beer and cigarettes and the clicking sound of boisterous games
of pool. |
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By the late 60s, the town of
Conroe was changing, however and the pool hall eventually closed down.
The tables were removed and the space was later leased to Southwest
Furniture for storage and staging. That agreement ended in September
2011 when Southwest Furniture closed down. |
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The Conroe Industrial
Development Corporation purchased the vacant building from Muse and his
sister Marsha, turning it over to the Crighton Theatre Foundation. Plans
call for an expansion of the lobby area adjacent to the Crighton Theatre
– adding first floor restrooms and an elevator to make the building ADA
compliant. |
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The Courier |
| August 12, 2012 |
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