Dr. George M. Gray Residence
1305 Hoel Parkway
Architect unknown, (private plans; Victor J. DeFoe?)
Built 1924-25

An eclectic, two-story, brown stone house with Spanish tile roof and Chinese red wood trim. Although more tightly organized and vertical in emphasis than DeFoe's more typical work, the free blending of Mediterranean and Arts and Crafts motifs would seem to be characteristic of this architect. The color and massing are particularly fine in relation to the large trees surrounding. Although built by John R. Rand, the first verifiable resident was Dr. George M. Gray, physician and surgeon, president of Security State Bank and Riverview State Bank, and vice-president of People's National Bank. Gray had previously served a brief term (1906-07) as mayor of Kansas City, Kansas, replacing the ousted W. W. Rose. As mayor he fathered the city's park system. He appointed the first Park Board, which in turn hired landscape architect George E. Kessler to design and lay out a park and boulevard system similar to the one Kessler had designed for Kansas City, Missouri.