Historic Turner Hall

The first Turner Hall burnt to the ground during the U.S.-Dakota War of 1862. The south half of the current building was constructed in 1873, making it the oldest Turner Hall in the United States still in its original use. Designed by Julius Berndt, the city’s most important 19th century architect and “Father of Hermann Monument,” the floor plan has changed little since its construction — a unique combination of school rooms, library, and a saloon. The north half of the building blends the exterior wall elements of a 1901 hall/theater that burned in 1952, with a 1953 interior and main facade.

Turner Hall is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.