PAUL M. FOGEL (1952-55) #63As part of #KCParks125, we are featuring all Park Board Commissioners in order of their service.Paul M. Fogel (1880 – 1960) was born in Nelson, Nebraska. He started playing baseball as a youth and was a very good athlete. In 1895, his family moved to Arkansas where his father, Martin L. Fogel, purchased a fruit farm known as “The Vineyards”; the farm also produced wine. Paul organized a baseball team with local boys who played other teams in the area.When the family’s farm failed, Paul’s parents, brother and sister moved to Kansas City, Missouri. Paul stayed in Arkansas and worked for a railroad contractor while continuing to play baseball. Paul’s abilities to organize people and work with them successfully both in business and sports became apparent at this time. Paul’s mother became ill and he moved to Kansas City to be nearer to his family. He began to do carpentry work, as his father had done after moving to Kansas City. Paul joined the Kansas City Athletic Club and played semi-professional baseball. Paul married Ruth Shrader of Kansas City in 1908. They had two children.Paul decided to go into business with his father doing construction. Their company was called “Fogel and Son”. After they did some of the contracting work involved in moving Kansas City’s train station from the West Bottoms area to where Union Station is today, their company grew rapidly. It was renamed the Fogel Construction Company in 1917 when Paul’s brother Lyle joined the company. In 1920 Paul founded the Cinder Concrete Products, Inc. He was President of the Builders Association of Kansas City from 1920-1921. He was also in the Chamber of Commerce and the Rotary Club.In 1925, the Fogel Construction Company was given the job of building a modern market at 31st Street, just east of Main Street. Not only would food be available at “…this palace-like structure of marble, tile and glistening glass…” but there would be parking for 1,000 cars and a battery, tire and gasoline station. Continued on #KCParks Facebook page @KCMOParks.