Honoring veterans: Montgomery County Veterans Memorial Commission unveils name for new center, eyes future expansions

The Montgomery County Veterans Memorial Park, located at the intersection of I-45 and Hwy. 105, is now home to the Honored Mission Veterans Museum and Jimmie C. Edwards III Education Center.

The name for the new building was unveiled during a Veterans Day ceremony Nov. 8.

“How do I feel about it? Excited,” said Elizabeth Woods, executive director of the Montgomery County Veterans Memorial Commission—the nonprofit organization that oversees and manages the park. “More excitement than anything. Anxious to move in and ... be greeting people in our home.”

When the building officially opens to the public next spring, it will join the park’s other features, including memorials that honor fallen veterans from both Montgomery County and across the nation and first responders.

The MCVMC is also working to open two more memorials next year—one honoring women of war and one honoring Gold Star Families.

“[The park will] never be really done,” Woods said. “I think that the fact that we are adaptable, flexible and visionary all go hand-in-hand.”

What you need to know

The new museum and education center, which totals just under 11,000 square feet, will feature rotating exhibits, LED screens that play clips of various footage and information, an interactive directory and a gift shop, Woods said. There are also plans for more events, including a lecture series.

The MCVMC broke ground on the project in 2023, and it was funded by some of the $7 million in state funding the commission received, which state Rep. Will Metcalf helped secure.

“I was proud to assist in this effort, and it is inspiring to see how far the park has come and how many wonderful things still lie ahead,” Metcalf said.

Montgomery County Judge Mark Keough said the new building will be a community hub with educational experiences, serving as a way for the community to engage with history.

“They also serve as a critical center for awareness and outreach, highlighting the resources and advocacy that are so essential to the needs of our veterans and first responders,” Keough said.

The new center joins nearly a dozen other memorials at the park—all honoring veterans or first responders. One of the park’s largest memorials is The Line, a series of panels with veterans’ names. Any veteran, not just those who live in the county, can be nominated to have their name on The Line through a form on the commission’s website. There are over 200 names on The Line so far, Woods said. On Nov. 8, the 12th panel was dedicated.

Looking ahead, the commission is aiming to dedicate its two new memorials—the WOW Star to honor women of war and a Gold Star Families memorial—sometime in 2026.

Click the points on the map below to learn about select memorials at the park.

A closer look

All of the work by the Montgomery County Veterans Memorial Commission is guided by its current chairperson Jimmie C. Edwards, who is also a former county judge and former state representative. In 2017, he led the effort to relocate the park to its new home along I-45.

As of 2023, veterans made up 6.9% of the county’s civilian population ages 18 and over, per data from the Rural Health Information Hub. There are also several veteran organizations in the county, such as American Legion Post 411. The post is led by Mike Rentfrow, who is on the MCVMC board.

“I think what the commission does really, really well is it documents the historical aspect of everything,” Rentfrow said.

Another way the park impacts the community is through tourism. Scott Harper, president of the Conroe/Lake Conroe Chamber of Commerce, said the park serves as a gateway to downtown Conroe.

“It’s so visible,” Harper said. “And to get people to stop and spend time there, [that’s] helping the economic engine of Conroe—going into downtown, eating at our local restaurants.”

Keough said it’s a vital part of the community.

“It is more than just a park; it is a heartfelt, living tribute that honors the sacrifice of all our veterans and first responders,” Keough said.

The new museum and education center at the Montgomery County Veterans Memorial Park is anticipated to open to the public next spring, Woods said. The commission is also planning for 2026 when it comes to the completion of its new memorial for Gold Star Families, who are families who’ve had loved ones die during their service.

In addition, in July, Montgomery County commissioners approved leasing out 0.33 acres of land to the commission for further expansion, Community Impact previously reported. The plans for the land include a new entry plaza, a garden, a shared digital sign and historic Quonset huts—arch-shaped steel buildings—for office and exhibit use.

“Every day’s a new day to build something beautiful,” Woods said.

Reporters Angela Bonilla and Atirikta Kumar contributed to this story.