Turner, Michigan is in northwest Turner Township, in north Arenac County. With a population of 121 in 2020, Turner is the least-populated village in the state.
Turner developed as a station stop along the Detroit & Mackinac Railway, as an extension of its main line from Emery Junction to North Bay City.
The village was named for Joseph Turner, who came to the area from Saginaw around 1870, and purchased a few large tracts of land to be used for lumbering operations. He formed a lumber company with two of his brothers-in-law, which was known as Turner, Miller and Lewis.
Turner arranged for the railroad to extend its line to the area, building his first lumber camp at the railroad terminus. He later built two more rail sections to service additional camps, one of which was about one mile north of where Twining was later formed.
Besides transporting lumber, the railroad connected with the main line in the area, the Detroit and Mackinac Railway, which shipped other products and passengers, as well. When Turner dismantled his track, the D&M Railway took over and cut through town.
On December 21, 1885, a post office was established as Turnerville, with John H. Larkin as postmaster. The office was closed on March 5, 1888, but was restored on December 15, 1891.
Besides its lumber operations and a sawmill, the town had a variety of stores, a bank, a restaurant, saloon, schoolhouse, and a weekly newspaper by 1900. Its population was about six hundred at that time.
However, its population declined with the available timber in the area. Nevertheless, Turner was incorporated as a village, under that shortened name, in 1915.
A 1918 fire destroyed several businesses, including a hardware store, a pool hall, and the bank, most of which were rebuilt.
Turner received electrical services in 1917, although most of the community was not wired. Some of its streets were paved in 1937 under a federal program related to the New Deal.
The smallest incorporated village in Michigan, much of the area around the community is agricultural, and the village is home to the Turner Bean & Grain Elevator.
No main highways pass through Turner. Its chief routes include Turner Road (Main Street), Crawford Road (South Railroad Street), and Shaffer Road (North Street). Cities and villages within twenty-five miles of Turner include Twining, Whittemore, Omer, Prescott, Standish, Sterling, Au Gres, Tawas City, and East Tawas.
Topics related to the Village of Turner, Michigan are the focus of this portion of our guide. Online resources for the village itself, any other governmental bodies within the village, and local businesses, industries, schools, churches, organizations, attractions, events, entertainment venues, and recreational opportunities are appropriate for this category, although most of these do not exist in Turner.
Recommended Resources
Locally owned and operated, the cannabis facility is located on Sheffield Road in the Village of Turner, Michigan. Its address, directions, telephone number, email address, social media, and business hours are published on the site, along with a list of available amenities, discounts, announcements, and its site license number. A catalog of available products is provided and may be viewed by product category, brand, price range, or weight. Photographs and prices are included.
https://americangrown.wm.store/
Michigan Semi-Ghost Town: Turner
In its series on ghost towns and semi-ghost towns, 99.1 WFMK published an article on the small village of Turner, Michigan on October 30, 2018. The article presents a brief history of the village, along with an overview of the town as it is today. Also included is a map showing its location and both historic and contemporary photographs depicting various businesses, churches, the post office, homes, and several views of Turner streets, as well as the Au Sable River. Aerial views are included.
https://99wfmk.com/michigan-ghost-town-turner/
Founded in 1911, the Turner, Michigan congregation is affiliated with the Conservative Mennonite Conference. Located on East Twining Road, a map shows its location, its mailing address, and contacts for the church offices and pastors are included. A statement of theology and practice is included, along with an introduction to the pastors, and its service times, ministries, and a brief introduction of its services are set forth. Church bulletins and a sermon archive are included.
https://www.riversideministries.com/
