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WILLIS, TEXAS
Montgomery County,
East Texas
30°25'22"N 95°28'44"W (30.422640, -95.478829)
Off I-45 on Hwy 75 and FM 1097
8 Miles N of Conroe the county seat
46 Miles N of Houston
15 Miles E of Montgomery
9 Miles S of New Waverly
22 Miles S of Huntsville
ZIP codes 77318, 77378
Area code 936
Population: 7,028 Est. (2019)
5,662 (2010) 3,985 (2000) 2,764 (1990)
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History in
a Pecan Shell
In
1870, Richard S. Willis, a Galveston
merchant and Montgomery County landowner donated a right-of-way to
the Houston and Great Northern Railroad for a townsite. By 1872 the
tracks appeared and the neighboring towns of Danville,
Montgomery, and Old
Waverly started moving their businesses (and themselves) to the
rail connection.
Growth was such that by 1874 a petition was circulated to make the
new town the county seat - taking that designation from Montgomery.
By the late 1870s Willis was thriving. It had its own weekly paper,
had become a shipping center for timber and agricultural products
and even manufactured wagons and farm equipment.
In the early 1880s the Willis Male and Female College was built. The
institution taught primary classes through college although it was
only in operation through 1901.
The population reached 700 by 1890 and the town had two weekly papers
and three hotels. By 1904 the population was estimated at 832 and
growth continued for the next 20 years, although at a slower pace.
By 1914 the town had telephone service and a third weekly paper joined
the two existing papers.
The Great Depression hit the town with a decrease in population. From
an estimated pop. of 900 in the late 20s - it was estimated to be
only 750 two years later. The slump was offset by discovery of oil
and by 1933 it was soon back to 900.
Highway 75 was constructed during the 30s and the town regained its
economic strength although the population stayed at 900 through the
1960s. Interstate Highway 45 cut through Willis in the 1960s and the
town was further helped when Lake Conroe (5 miles West) was built
in the late 1960s to the early 1970s. Willis benefited from the Houston
and Conroe booms after WWII
although the immediate economy remained lumber and agriculture. From
an estimated population of 1,674 in 1986, it has increased to 5,662
in 2010. |
Recreation
Lake
Conroe (5 miles West)
Sam Houston
National Forest (a few miles West, North and East of Willis
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People
Outlaw
with two faces by Bob Bowman
To those who knew Wright, his appearance and demeanor were far removed
from the days when he was a prominent newspaper editor, attorney,
and aspiring legislator in Little Rock. But they would soon learn
that he was also an escaped murderer, forger, arsonist and jail
breaker named Pete Loggins from East Texas.
Keeping
Up with the Anson Joneses by Wanda Orton
"... Eventually, Mary Jones left Goose Creek and moved in with
Sallie and her son-in-law, R.G. Ashe, and then to the community
of Willis in Montgomery County. The widow of Texas President Anson
Jones also would become known as the mother of Harris County Judge
Cromwell Jones and the grandmother of District Judge Charles Ashe.
..." more
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Willis Farmers
Outlet
TE photo, May 2004 |
Watermelons
TE photo, May 2004 |
Willis barber
shop
TE photo, May 2004 |
Feed Store
TE photo, May 2004 |
| Texas
Escapes, in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing
Texas, asks that anyone wishing to share their local history, stories,
landmarks and recent or vintage photos, please contact
us. |
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