About Turner

Geography:

Turner lies astride Mill Creek, a tributary of the Willamette River. Much of the land is river bottom deposits and is either at or just above the 100 flood plain. The adjacent forested hills rise up 350 feet.

History:

Turner was occupied by the Santiam Kalapuya Indians prior to settlement of the area in 1843.  The Delaney family were the first settlers.  Four Donation Land Claims occupied the current City Limits. Turner is a railroad town founded in 1871 when the Oregon & California Railroad passed through the area.  A rail station was constructed at the site and named Turner in honor of Henry L. Turner a well-known pioneer and a flour mill owner in the area.  Henry Turner recorded a town plat at the site of the station on March 9, 1871.  By 1878 Turner had a population of 70 and a flour mill and two granaries were the dominant industrial features.  An open Mill Race was built to power the mills and was located along the railroad adjacent to Third Street.  It was one of the City's primary features until it was filled in the late 1900's by the Burkland Lumber Company, the City's primary industry until it closed in 1974. 

Historical Photos compiled by Stephen Ko

Basic Statistics:

  • Population: 2866 (2021)
  • Size: 922 Acres
  • Temperature: 33 degrees (coldest month)
                             82 degrees (warmest month)
  • Average Rainfall: 39 inches annually

 Facilities:

Turner Rural Fire District: 8 full time paid staff, 4 part time staff and 49 volunteers provide fire and advanced life support, responding to over 1100 calls last year.

City Parks: Turner Lake Park, Burkland Park, David Sawyer Park, Second Street Park

City Water: 500,000 gallons of water storage; Three 8" connections to City of Salem water distribution system

City Sewer: Force Main connection to City of Salem Sewer collection and treatment system

Turner Elementary School: Turner Elementary is a school with grades kindergarten through fifth.  Currently there are 11 classrooms with 38 full and part time staff that support 295 students.  Older students continue on to Cascade Junior and Senior High Schools. 

For more general Turner Stats.....click here

For information from the OSU Rural Communities database.....click here