Grand Lake in Grand Central Park–circa 1920
Conroe history
By Larry Foerster
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Most people in Conroe are probably
familiar with the new development known as Grand Central Park. Situated
along IH-45 between the San Jacinto River to the south and the South
Loop 336 to the north, this impressive residential and commercial
community features many outdoor amenities, including two beautiful
lakes—Deer Lake and the larger Grand Lake. |
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Locals recall when this property was
known as Camp Strake, a 2000-acre Boy Scout camp that offered
recreational and camping activities to tens of thousands of boys over a
span of 70+ years (including me.) When Camp Strake was sold to the
Johnson Development Corp. a number of years ago, the developer had the
good sense to preserve Grand Lake and its nearby Deer Lake. Both are
still accessible to the residents in the development. |
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For several
generations, Grand Lake served as a popular recreational spot for nearby
Conroe residents going back to the late 1800’s. Many a story has been
told about the families that used it as a summer retreat for fishing,
boating and camping. Many a young couple courted along the banks of
Grand Lake. One story about the lake written by Conroe resident Mary
Alice Hunt was featured a few months ago in the Courier newspaper. https://www.yourconroenews.com/
125years/article/Artist-teacher-Mary-Alice-Hunt-tells-of-Grand-13111442.php |
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The Montgomery County Clerk’s real
property records include a circa-1912 plat of a proposed new town to be
known as “Grand Lake.” The plat shows streets laid out with lots set
aside for a city hall, a school and even a cemetery. Someone’s vision
for a new town never materialized, and several years later Conroe oilman
George Strake purchased the timbered property and donated it to the Boy
Scouts in 1934. Camp Strake became a summer retreat for boys across the
State of Texas for decades to follow. Several Boy Scout structures
still stand there today. |
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But there was another vision for
Grand Lake in 1920. The attached article in the July 2, 1920 edition of
the Conroe Courier announces a new ”first class restaurant” on
Grand Lake, opened by J. K. Ayers, Jr., the son of the developer of
downtown Conroe. Being a promoter like his father, Ayers, Jr. promoted
Grand Lake as a “...summer resort with free camping grounds, free use
of bath houses, and plenty of refreshments and good eats at a first
class restaurant on the bank of the lake.” Click
here for the Courier announcement in PDF.
Conroe Courier July 2, 1920 |
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Presumably, the resort on the lake
was short-lived. At that time, Jr.’s family no doubt owned the land
surrounding Grand Lake. Jr’s dad, Captain J. K. Ayers had been a
successful timberman and owned many acres of timber along the railroad
intersecting the County from Houston north to Palestine (Union Pacific
RR today). After the Civil War, Capt. Ayers operated his sawmill on the
railroad with a stop described on the old county maps as “Ayers.” This
sawmill was in the immediate vicinity and due east of Grand Lake. (It is
believed that the sawmill was near the intersection of what is today
Crighton Road and IH-45.) |
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Capt. Ayers, who served in the
Confederate army during the Civil War, also owned a tract of undeveloped
timberland due north of his Ayers sawmill, at the intersection of two
railroads. There another man named Isaac Conroe started a whistle-stop
sawmill community in 1881, first known as “Conroe’s Switch.” In 1889,
Capt. Ayers organized a petition to hold a county-wide election to move
the county seat from Montgomery to Conroe. The election of May 1889 was
successful, and the county courthouse records were quickly moved by
wagon at night from the wooden courthouse in Montgomery. Ayers promptly
platted his “Ayers Addition,” with a block for a courthouse and another
block designated for a county jail (where Conroe Tower stands today).
Both lots were sold to the County for $1 each. Two years later, the
first brick county courthouse was dedicated in 1891. |
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Such is the story of a father and son
who had visions for development in our county: Capt. Ayes was
instrumental in the growth of a small sawmill community while his son
Junior strived unsuccessfully to make his mark along the bank of the
Grand Lake. And that is the rest of the story... |
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Larry L. Foerster, Chairman |
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Montgomery County Historical Commission |
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414 West Phillips, Suite 100 |
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Conroe, Texas 77301 |
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Office 936-756-3337 |
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Please view our County Historical Commission website: www.montgomerycountyhistoricalcommission.com |
