Reading about the history of The Turner Mansion takes a while but it 's interesting..........to some.
ARCHITECTURAL HISTORY
The Luther & Jane Marie Turner House is historically significant as an example of the Neo-Classical architectural style, and for its association with the Luther P. Turner family, early settlers of the Inland Northwest who made their fortune growing wheat on the rolling Palouse hills west of Spokane in the community of Harrington. Luther and his wife later became prominent participants in the social life of Spokane.
The Neo-Classical style was a popular mode of architectural taste during the first half of the 20th century. It began on the east coast and quickly spread to the west into communities such as Spokane. The renewal of interest in classical architectural forms can be traced to the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago, which set a new course in architectural fashion. Major buildings in the immensely popular and widely promoted fair were required by fair organizers to have a classical theme and many of the day's leading architects competed to design them. The centerpiece of the fair was the Great White City by Daniel Burnham that single-handedly inspired the larger City Beautiful movement. Many of the architects of the fair employed Greek and Roman orders as motifs that would percolate through to the home building public shortly thereafter.
As such, it comes as no surprise that the Neo- Classical style was a "top-down" style originating in formally trained architects and realized at first in homes of the upper class. Nationally known firms such as McKim, Mead & White made a specialty of the style producing landmark examples. For many of the newly minted millionaires of the 1890s, a Neo-Classical house seemed to strike the right balance between instant, imposing grandeur and European-derived establishment.
By the 1910s, the key features of the Neo-Classical idiom had filtered from the east coast to the west coast through the ranks of the architectural profession.
The Turner House in Spokane is a good example of the Neo-Classical expression as executed in a mid-size western city. It's plan, massing, scale, and detail are typical of high style Neo-Classical dwellings.
The Turner House, featuring clusters of one and two-story Ionic porch columns, ornamental balustrades, large overhanging eaves with modillions, and symmetrical massing is the only one of the group to have brick exterior walls. Additionally, it appears that the Turner House may be the only high style Neo-Classical home on the north side of the Spokane River within the city limits. Other imposing Neo-Classical homes were reserved for the more upscale and fashionable south hill of the city.
Other Neo-Classical Dwellings in Spokane -
Spokane has several Neo-Classical designed homes (see partial list below), but the Turner House is one of the better examples.
Property Name Address
Earl Crane House S. 817 Adams
C. F. Clouah House W. 1406 9th Avenue
J. Grier Lana House W. 1307 8th Avenue
Georqe Odell House 508 E. Rockwell Blvd.
Levi & May Hutton House 2206 E. 17th Avenue
House 734 24th Avenue E
House 2229 Rockwood Blvd S.
James Arrnstrono House 1022 W. Ninth Avenue
John Finch House 2340 W. First Avenue
A local newspaper identifies the architect of the Turner House as J.R. Burrill. Burrill-designed structures in Harrington include the Harrington Bank Block and Opera House. Both being prominent citizens of Harrington, it’s probable that Luther Turner was well-acquainted with Mr. Burrill, and he likely invited the local designer to supervise construction of his new Spokane house.
TURNER FAMILY HISTORY
Luther P. Turner was born in Meigs County, Tennessee on October 16, 1862. He was the only child of Robert, a Union Army officer who died in the Civil War, and Abigail (who later lived with her son in Spokane). Luther was raised by his mother on a Tennessee farm.
On January 27, 1887, at the age of 25, Luther married Jane Marie Ivester. In the Spring of the following year, the Turner's traveled cross-country to the Lincoln County, Washington, area bringing with them Luther's mother and Jane's father and sister. Upon their arrival in Washington, Turner purchased 480 acres of unimproved railroad land near the town of Harrington. The investment stretched his finances for several years and he worked as a laborer at several other farms besides his own to make ends meet. After 10 years, in 1897, his hard work paid off with a large harvest of dry land wheat, which he promptly sold and used to make improvements on his lands and to expand them. Luther quickly expanded his holdings and by 1904, he had acquired approximately 4,000 acres of land. By some accounts he and his family actively farmed 16 sections of land, an area that covered over 10,000 acres. The local newspaper reported that Turner owned five combines and that it took 40 days to harvest his crop of wheat. Each combine was operated by five men and pulled by 24 to 34 horses or mules. The 30 to 45 bushels per acre harvested by Turner's men, were stored in his own warehouses. A series of successful harvests followed by large and lucrative sales into the early 1900s established Luther P. Turner's fortune and his reputation as the "Wheat King" of the Inland Northwest:
Turner's successful business ventures also allowed him and his family to rise rapidly up the social ladder within the community and surrounding region. In 1902 the family moved into a new residence in Harrington, which was described as a "large twelve-room modern house." At age 54 in 1916, Luther took his wife and their five daughters (Maude, Lelia, Ruth, Lois, and Etheola) as well as his mother and his wife's sister, and moved to Spokane. Luther left his son Attie to run the family farm in Harrington. The Turner's hired Spokane architect John R. Burrill to design their new home.
Luther and Jane must have been familiar with Burrill's previous work in Harrington. He designed the local bank in the community and reportedly provided plans for several other residential and commercial buildings within the city. Various accounts put construction costs of the Turner's Spokane home between $28,000 and $40,000. Instead of joining the rest of the city's elite on the south hill of Spokane, the Turner's purchased land on the north side of the Spokane River, overlooking the valley from a high terrace. The house, completed in 1917, was designed to be a commemoration of Luther Turner's financial success, with its pretentious Grecian columns and expansive front porch and balcony. The large city block on which it was built, afforded room to spread out, unlike the quickly filling exclusive neighborhoods of the city's south side. The extensive grounds surrounded the estate originally included a large, two-car garage and a small barn.
Designed and furnished to entertain, the Turners make good use of their new home by hosting lavish parties and receptions. The marriages of the Turner's five daughters were all well covered in the social pages of the local newspaper and were usually followed by a lavish reception at the Turner home. Eventually the extended Turner family became quite large and they often gathered together for dinner at the family home. One such gathering featured more than 20 family members representing five generations.
Jane Marie Turner died on May 12, 1940, after an extended illness. Luther Turner passed away on December 8, 1941 at the age of 79. He had contracted the flu before the Thanksgiving holiday and never fully recovered. At the time of his death his estate, estimated at $400,000.
Following Mr. Turner's death, the building served as a nursing home for elderly residents until its recent closure. It is currently being reopened as professional office space.
In June 1943, the house was sold to Elizabeth M. Davis for an undisclosed amount. Mrs. Davis announced plans to convert the home to a nursing facility for the elderly, and tentatively announced that the building would be called the "Turner Memorial Nursing Home for the Aged"." The name never caught on and for many years the building was called simply the Davis Nursing Home. During its existence as a nursing home, the Turner House endured extensive modifications, especially to the interior, which was sub-divided into smaller rooms to accommodate individual apartments. Most of the elaborate wood trim and built-in furnishings were retained however. Furthermore the exterior of the house was maintained except for some notable exceptions, including the attachment of a two-level, covered wheelchair ramp to the west side, and the addition of a one-level extension on the north side to accommodate a new kitchen. In the early 1950s, overcrowding prompted the construction of a companion facility, located to the west of the home. This two story brick building has since been removed, and a new modern care center has been erected on that site. It is now called St. Marks Senor Living.
TODAY
Just enjoy the history and the pleasure of working in The Turner Mansion
ARCHITECTURAL HISTORY
The Luther & Jane Marie Turner House is historically significant as an example of the Neo-Classical architectural style, and for its association with the Luther P. Turner family, early settlers of the Inland Northwest who made their fortune growing wheat on the rolling Palouse hills west of Spokane in the community of Harrington. Luther and his wife later became prominent participants in the social life of Spokane.
The Neo-Classical style was a popular mode of architectural taste during the first half of the 20th century. It began on the east coast and quickly spread to the west into communities such as Spokane. The renewal of interest in classical architectural forms can be traced to the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago, which set a new course in architectural fashion. Major buildings in the immensely popular and widely promoted fair were required by fair organizers to have a classical theme and many of the day's leading architects competed to design them. The centerpiece of the fair was the Great White City by Daniel Burnham that single-handedly inspired the larger City Beautiful movement. Many of the architects of the fair employed Greek and Roman orders as motifs that would percolate through to the home building public shortly thereafter.
As such, it comes as no surprise that the Neo- Classical style was a "top-down" style originating in formally trained architects and realized at first in homes of the upper class. Nationally known firms such as McKim, Mead & White made a specialty of the style producing landmark examples. For many of the newly minted millionaires of the 1890s, a Neo-Classical house seemed to strike the right balance between instant, imposing grandeur and European-derived establishment.
By the 1910s, the key features of the Neo-Classical idiom had filtered from the east coast to the west coast through the ranks of the architectural profession.
The Turner House in Spokane is a good example of the Neo-Classical expression as executed in a mid-size western city. It's plan, massing, scale, and detail are typical of high style Neo-Classical dwellings.
The Turner House, featuring clusters of one and two-story Ionic porch columns, ornamental balustrades, large overhanging eaves with modillions, and symmetrical massing is the only one of the group to have brick exterior walls. Additionally, it appears that the Turner House may be the only high style Neo-Classical home on the north side of the Spokane River within the city limits. Other imposing Neo-Classical homes were reserved for the more upscale and fashionable south hill of the city.
Other Neo-Classical Dwellings in Spokane -
Spokane has several Neo-Classical designed homes (see partial list below), but the Turner House is one of the better examples.
Property Name Address
Earl Crane House S. 817 Adams
C. F. Clouah House W. 1406 9th Avenue
J. Grier Lana House W. 1307 8th Avenue
Georqe Odell House 508 E. Rockwell Blvd.
Levi & May Hutton House 2206 E. 17th Avenue
House 734 24th Avenue E
House 2229 Rockwood Blvd S.
James Arrnstrono House 1022 W. Ninth Avenue
John Finch House 2340 W. First Avenue
A local newspaper identifies the architect of the Turner House as J.R. Burrill. Burrill-designed structures in Harrington include the Harrington Bank Block and Opera House. Both being prominent citizens of Harrington, it’s probable that Luther Turner was well-acquainted with Mr. Burrill, and he likely invited the local designer to supervise construction of his new Spokane house.
TURNER FAMILY HISTORY
Luther P. Turner was born in Meigs County, Tennessee on October 16, 1862. He was the only child of Robert, a Union Army officer who died in the Civil War, and Abigail (who later lived with her son in Spokane). Luther was raised by his mother on a Tennessee farm.
On January 27, 1887, at the age of 25, Luther married Jane Marie Ivester. In the Spring of the following year, the Turner's traveled cross-country to the Lincoln County, Washington, area bringing with them Luther's mother and Jane's father and sister. Upon their arrival in Washington, Turner purchased 480 acres of unimproved railroad land near the town of Harrington. The investment stretched his finances for several years and he worked as a laborer at several other farms besides his own to make ends meet. After 10 years, in 1897, his hard work paid off with a large harvest of dry land wheat, which he promptly sold and used to make improvements on his lands and to expand them. Luther quickly expanded his holdings and by 1904, he had acquired approximately 4,000 acres of land. By some accounts he and his family actively farmed 16 sections of land, an area that covered over 10,000 acres. The local newspaper reported that Turner owned five combines and that it took 40 days to harvest his crop of wheat. Each combine was operated by five men and pulled by 24 to 34 horses or mules. The 30 to 45 bushels per acre harvested by Turner's men, were stored in his own warehouses. A series of successful harvests followed by large and lucrative sales into the early 1900s established Luther P. Turner's fortune and his reputation as the "Wheat King" of the Inland Northwest:
Turner's successful business ventures also allowed him and his family to rise rapidly up the social ladder within the community and surrounding region. In 1902 the family moved into a new residence in Harrington, which was described as a "large twelve-room modern house." At age 54 in 1916, Luther took his wife and their five daughters (Maude, Lelia, Ruth, Lois, and Etheola) as well as his mother and his wife's sister, and moved to Spokane. Luther left his son Attie to run the family farm in Harrington. The Turner's hired Spokane architect John R. Burrill to design their new home.
Luther and Jane must have been familiar with Burrill's previous work in Harrington. He designed the local bank in the community and reportedly provided plans for several other residential and commercial buildings within the city. Various accounts put construction costs of the Turner's Spokane home between $28,000 and $40,000. Instead of joining the rest of the city's elite on the south hill of Spokane, the Turner's purchased land on the north side of the Spokane River, overlooking the valley from a high terrace. The house, completed in 1917, was designed to be a commemoration of Luther Turner's financial success, with its pretentious Grecian columns and expansive front porch and balcony. The large city block on which it was built, afforded room to spread out, unlike the quickly filling exclusive neighborhoods of the city's south side. The extensive grounds surrounded the estate originally included a large, two-car garage and a small barn.
Designed and furnished to entertain, the Turners make good use of their new home by hosting lavish parties and receptions. The marriages of the Turner's five daughters were all well covered in the social pages of the local newspaper and were usually followed by a lavish reception at the Turner home. Eventually the extended Turner family became quite large and they often gathered together for dinner at the family home. One such gathering featured more than 20 family members representing five generations.
Jane Marie Turner died on May 12, 1940, after an extended illness. Luther Turner passed away on December 8, 1941 at the age of 79. He had contracted the flu before the Thanksgiving holiday and never fully recovered. At the time of his death his estate, estimated at $400,000.
Following Mr. Turner's death, the building served as a nursing home for elderly residents until its recent closure. It is currently being reopened as professional office space.
In June 1943, the house was sold to Elizabeth M. Davis for an undisclosed amount. Mrs. Davis announced plans to convert the home to a nursing facility for the elderly, and tentatively announced that the building would be called the "Turner Memorial Nursing Home for the Aged"." The name never caught on and for many years the building was called simply the Davis Nursing Home. During its existence as a nursing home, the Turner House endured extensive modifications, especially to the interior, which was sub-divided into smaller rooms to accommodate individual apartments. Most of the elaborate wood trim and built-in furnishings were retained however. Furthermore the exterior of the house was maintained except for some notable exceptions, including the attachment of a two-level, covered wheelchair ramp to the west side, and the addition of a one-level extension on the north side to accommodate a new kitchen. In the early 1950s, overcrowding prompted the construction of a companion facility, located to the west of the home. This two story brick building has since been removed, and a new modern care center has been erected on that site. It is now called St. Marks Senor Living.
TODAY
Just enjoy the history and the pleasure of working in The Turner Mansion
