Madeley Making History:
100-year-old Madeley Building
once a Telephone Exchange,
now home to Conroe Art League
By Brad Meyer

Now celebrating a century of service, a landmark building in downtown Conroe continues to reflect the progressive nature of the community and its residents.

For 100 years, the Madeley Building, located at 125 Simonton Street in downtown Conroe, has been an important site of commerce in Conroe – and now the renovated facility serves as the home of the Conroe Art League and their Gallery at the Madeley Building.
 

“The businesses that have been housed in the Madeley Building have been representative of the hard work and progressive nature of this part of Texas,” said Larry Foerster, a Conroe civic leader and community historian. “The children and grandchildren of the folks who worked and did business in the Madeley building back in the day can still enjoy it – it’s a part of our collective history.”
 

Following a devastating fire that destroyed most of downtown Conroe in 1911, the property on which the Madeley Building was constructed was sold to Albert A. and Daniel A. Madeley for $400. The entrepreneurial family, which owned 320 acres of land in Montgomery County, was active in agriculture, cattle and the early days of telecommunications in the city of Conroe.

Architect Duayne Freeman said the style of construction was typical of the turn-of-the-century era – utilitarian and functional, with few design accents or ornamentations. The structure does have an open patio area in the rear.
 

Among the building’s earliest uses was as the Madeley Meat Market.
 

Joyce Musselman, 83, whose mother was a Madeley, recalled visiting the retail market when she was only 3 years old – though details are sketchy. Local attorney Foster Madeley, grandson of Daniel Madeley, recalls his father delivering meat in bulk to the prison in Huntsville.
 

But the Madeley Building had numerous retail incarnations over the decades, including Midway Cleaners and a ladies dress shop owned by Mrs. Bell. One of the most important – and historical – tenants was George Madeley’s Conroe Communications Company.
 

The early telephone company occupied the second floor of the Madeley Building, providing local service for a monthly subscriber fee of 25 cents. Operator salaries at the time were $25 per month.
 

“It was extremely hot up on the second floor of the Madeley Building during summers,” said Foerster. “It’s believed that George Madeley brought the first air conditioning unit to Montgomery County to keep the operators – and the equipment – from overheating.”

Condensation from that early air conditioner occasionally leaked into the dress shop below, damaging some garments for which George Madeley agreed to pay.
 

“It’s said Mrs. Bell eventually began leaving dresses she couldn’t otherwise sell under the areas that leaked,” said Foester. “She was a pretty savvy businesswoman.”
 

Eventually, the city of Conroe acquired the building and renovated the structure as part of a downtown revitalization program. The revitalized structure is occupied by the Conroe Art League – showcasing the artistic creations of painters, sculptors and other artisans, primarily from Montgomery County and the surrounding area.
 

“It’s very invigorating and appealing for the community to support the arts in a historical structure like the Madeley Building,” said Theresa Thornhill, president of the CAL. “We offer a gallery for artists to display and sell their work and a variety of classes for those that want to pursue artistic expression.”
 

Foster Madeley and Joyce Musselman, descendents of the original Madeley Brothers who constructed the building, are pleased with the revitalization of the building and its use as a gallery to showcase local artists.

“What they have done is lovely,” said Foster. “It’s a fine use of a building that has historical – and personal – significance.”

For more information on CAL, visit www.conroeartleague.com.

Conroe Courier
March 12, 2012