Turner County is named for John W Turner, who was a territorial legislator during 1865-66 and 1872.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – McCook County and Minnehaha County
E – Lincoln County
S – Clay County and Yankton County
W – Yankton County and Hutchinson County
Created: January 13, 1871
County Seat:
Swan Lake City 1871 – 1885
Parker 1885 – present
County Courthouse (demolished) – Parker
Location: 400 South Main Street Southwest / East Main Street
Built: 1902 – 1904
Style: Neo-Classical
Architect: W R Parsons and Son of Des Moines, Iowa
Contractor: J W Delwiler of Des Moines, Iowa
Description: The building faced north and was a three story brown colored brick and concrete structure. The building was located on landscaped grounds in the center of Parker. The building had a raised base on the first story. The front and sides were symmetrical, with five bays on the front façade and three bays on each side, with the center bays projected forward. The rear of the courthouse consisted of a later addition, creating the base of the cross. The ground floor was separated from the second floor by a belt course of stone, which created the appearance of a podium upon which the upper two stories rest. The second and third floors were smooth brickwork. On the center of the roof was an octagonal dome with silver colored roof. The center of the north front projected from the building with a pediment at the top. Along the roof line was a stone balustrade. The roof line was flat. In the interior, the County Circuit Court courtroom was located on the third story. The building housed the County Circuit Court of the 1st Judicial Circuit and the County Magistrate Court. In 2024, the building was demolished and the court was moved to McCook County.
Note: The W R Parsons and Sons of Des Moines, Iowa designed four of South Dakota’s county courthouses in Faulk County (1905), Hanson County (1904) (demolished) and Yankton County(1905) (demolished).
County Courthouse (under construction) – Parker
Location: 400 South Main Street Southwest / East Main Street
Built: 2024 – 2026
Style: Modern
Architect: Journey Construction Group of Sioux Falls
Contractor: Journey Construction Group of Sioux Falls
Description: The building faces north and is a two story precast, steel beam and glass structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of Parker. On the north side, the center section is recessed with a projecting central entrance on the first story. The windows are large. On the flat roof is a raised central section. In the interior, the County Circuit Court courtroom is located on the second story. The building houses the County Circuit Court of the 1st Judicial Circuit and the County Magistrate Court. The building will be completed in August 2026.
See: The 1st Judicial Circuit includes Aurora County, Bon Homme County, Brule County, Buffalo County, Charles Mix County, Clay County, Davison County, Douglas County, Hanson County, Hutchinson County, McCook County, Union County and Yankton County.
History: The county was created in 1871 and Swan Lake City was selected as the county seat. The first courthouse was built in Swan Lake City in 1872. The county seat was moved to Parker in 1885. The second and present courthouse was constructed in Parker in 1902 to 1904 at a cost of $27,653. The courthouse was demolished in 2024 and a new courthouse will not be constructed until 2026 at a cost of $19,800,000.
County Courthouse (under construction) – Parker
County Courthouse (demolished) – Parker
County Circuit Court courtroom
Photos taken 2007, 2016 and 2026
Images 15