, brother of Tecumseh, created Shawneetown in the area. He made his final home near Turner in Argentine, Kansas. Blue Jacket, who was Tecumseh's adoptive brother, was known to the early European settlers in this area. According to legend, one of the Shawnee chiefs, Fish, died and was buried in the Shawnee Township Cemetery.
19th century
In 1828, Cyprian Chouteau established the first trading post in this locale. It was the American Fur Company trading house. The original Shawnee Methodist Mission was built in 1830 near Chouteau's old trading post. ReverendThomas Johnson built the mission for the Shawnee. It was located at what would be . This mission was open until 1839, when the Mission School was built at the current location in Johnson County. Around 1837, Charles Lovelace established a saw mill. There was also a grist mill in close proximity. In 1838, the mighty steamboat, "The Antelope" docked in the area. It had several scientist and pioneers heading west. They stayed over in the area on their journey to Fort Pierre in South Dakota. The Delaware Crossing was where the old Indian trail met the waters of the Kaw River. Around 1831, Moses Grinter set up the Grinter Ferry on the Kansas River here. His house, the Grinter Place, still stands at . The ferry was used by individuals traveling between Fort Leavenworth and Fort Scott on the military road. Other would cross this area on their way to Santa Fe. Various farmers took up residence around Turner by the fall of 1854. Turner as a community was known as early as 1856. The community, then named "Farmer, Kansas", tried to incorporate itself on October 8, 1859. The attempt failed because the community never had enough population to achieve the statute requirements. Members of the old Quantrill's Raiders sacked a few homes and killed some of the inhabitants of the area around July 1863. Various families suffered in the attacks. They were fended off from but a few homes. In 1859, the community had been referred to as the "Farmer" community. Twenty years later, the community took the name "Turner". Farmer post office name was switched to the "Turner" post office on September 23, 1879; by Robert M. Hester.
20th century
The Flood of 1903 hit Turner. The 1910 population was around 200 people. In 1912, Turner had a few general stores, a school, money order post office, telegraph and express facilities. Historically, the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway went through Argentine, Turner, and Kaw Valley. From the railroad yard in the Argentine, the railroad cars would be turned around at the Farmer train platform. The Farmer train station's circular platform stood at 55th street. Parts of Turner were hit in the Great Flood of 1951 and the flood resulted in the "Highland" community being built. Between late 1965 and early 1966, Kansas City, Kansas annexed the community of Turner. Although now a part of Kansas City, Kansas,the community still retains its own distinct flavor and personality. The Turner post office was discontinued in 1958.
The Golden Bearmascot was adopted for the school and community in 1886. Two members of the community, Warren Hewitt and Jule Gaignet, submitted the icon and it won the majority of support in a contest. Reportedly, the two youths had heard of the bear from stories told by their grandparents. This icon is based on legends of a golden bear that live in the area. According to John Gardiner in 1831, the great golden bear that lived in the area was feared and admired by the local native population. The bear lived south of the river in the hills west of the Methodist Mission. According to legend, it was the largest bear that any of the natives had ever seen. It would raid the settlements of the area folks and feasted on the animals owned by the local population. Many of the Indians wanted to kill the bear for the pride of such a feat and the capture of its hide. The golden bear was seen several times by the ferry crew on the Old Grinter Ferry during the 1830s and 1840s. Both the Shawnee and the Wyandot gathered a hunting party, but were unsuccessful in tracking the bear down. Turner USD 202 consolidated the five old school districts of Turner, Junction, Oak Grove, Morris, and Muncie in 1961 and currently consists of:
The road overseers were Peter Partonnar, John Gibbs, and H. L. Swinggley. Peter Partonnar has been rumored to be the origin of the name for Turner. ;New and old
55th Street was known as "Lovelace Mill Road" and later it was named "Ambrose Key Road" after the saw mill was closed down. Still later it was renamed "Turner Avenue" until annexation.
56th Street was "Central Avenue"
57th Street was "Ore Avenue"
Gibbs Road was named in honor of John Gibbs, Jr.
Metropolitan Avenue was "Hester Road" ; Albert Hester had a farm, Hester Farm, on this route.
