The History of Montrose

The Montrose Management District was created by the 79th Legislature, House Bill 3518 sponsored by State Representative Garnett Coleman. Montrose saw its first development in 1911, led by J.W. Link, an executive of the Houston Land Corporation.

Link, purchase several tracts consisting of 250 acres on the outskirts of the city and immediately set about improving the property, building a main street, now Montrose Boulevard, through the center of it. The Link Lee mansion located at 3800 Montrose Blvd. (on the corner of Montrose Blvd. and West Alabama Street) is an outstanding example of the early glory days of Texas oil production. The building is a prime example of neoclassical architecture, featuring a pronounced portico, elaborate brickwork and ornate terra cotta ornamentation that is consistent with the American neoclassical style.

The building has been a Texas Historical Landmark since 2001.

Links Montrose home is now used as an administration building for St. Thomas University, a private, Catholic institution of higher learning. Originally the building housed the entire university it now contains the executive offices of the university. While still mostly intact, the mansion has been adapted to accommodate the offices of the president, vice president for Academic Affairs, Dean of Arts and Sciences, vice president for Institutional Advancement, and Alumni Relations.

Future plans involve moving the offices out of the mansion and restoring it back to how it looked in 1912. These plans are contingent upon the university purchasing adjacent properties prior to making any such moves.