Percy P. Turner

Percy Pamorrow Turner (1891 - 1958) was an American architect who, in the 1920s-1950s practiced in Baltimore Maryland, Houston, Texas, Orlando, Florida and Miami, Florida.

Contents

Early years

Turner was born on December 28, 1891 in Frederick County, Virginia, the son of Leonidas (Lonnie) Grant Turner and Amelia Archer.[1] They were leading citizens of Baltimore, listed in the city’s social register.[2]

Architectural career

Turner was engaged in the United States Air Service toward the end of World War I.[3]

Turner's father was in the real estate business in Baltimore, interested in the development of suburban property. Turner and his brother Robert joined with their father in this enterprise in the period around 1920.[4] In 1922, the Turner family created a suburb called “The Pines on the Severn” in Arnold, Maryland, which continues today as a noted historic suburb along the Severn River north of Annapolis.[5]

On December 18, 1928 in Temple, Texas, Turner married Temple native Marie Christine Robertson Bailiff, the daughter of Huling Robertson and Mary Clarke; thereafter she seldom used her first name but went by Christine Robertson Turner. After their wedding, they made their home in Houston, Texas where Turner was a practicing architect and a member of the AIA. Their children included Percy P. Turner, Jr.[6][7]

By 1926, the Turners had relocated to Orlando, Florida, where Turner’s office was located at 19 Court Street.[8] In Orlando, Turner specialized in residential architecture. An example of his work stands at 219 Phillips Place in the Lake Copeland Historic District. Built in 1926, this is a finely preserved interpretation of the New England Colonial Revival style. It has a very wide board siding which is quite unusual for Orlando, and an unusual red slate roof. It also has fluted Doric columns supporting the entry pediment.[9] Turner's was one of only 10 architectural firms listed in 1926, the others including: Ryan and Roberts (Ida Annah Ryan and Isabel Roberts), Frank L. Bodine, Fred E. Field, David Hyer, Murry S. King, George E. Krug, Howard M. Reynolds and Frederick H. Trimble. And one of 12 firms so listed in Orlando in 1927, which included Maurice E. Kressly.[10]

Following the Florida land bust, the Turners relocated to Texas where they lived in San Antonio until mid 1936 when they returned to Florida, settling in Miami.[11] Turner’s architectural style had changed with the times. Among his work in Miami was 1000 71st Street, Normandy in the Isles Historic District (circa 1935) with Art Moderne radiused corners, chevron details, and raised stucco banding.[12]

Later years

Turner continued to practice architecture in Miami into the mid-1950s.[13] He died in North Miami in 1958.[14]

References

  1. ^ "Immigrant Ancestors of Marylanders: As Found in Local Histories" by Bill Reamy, 2007; Page 242
  2. ^ Baltimore "Blue Book" 1912
  3. ^ "Aircraft Journal, Volume II", 1918, page 954
  4. ^ "Atlantic Reporter, Volume 111", by West Publishing Company, 1921, page 109
  5. ^ REPORTED IN THE COURT OF SPECIAL APPEALS OF MARYLAND No. 2652"
  6. ^ "Lineage Book‎", by Daughters of the American Revolution, page 224; 1933
  7. ^ "The Arrow of Pi Beta Phi‎", 1929, page 407
  8. ^ Orlando City Directory, 1926
  9. ^ Historic Preservation Board, City of Orlando, Florida, January 7, 2009
  10. ^ Orlando City Directories, 1926-1931
  11. ^ "Lineage Book" by Daughters of the American Revolution; 1933-1937
  12. ^ United States Department of the Interior, National Park Service, NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES CONTINUATION SHEET, Section number 7, Page 1: "NORMANDY ISLES HISTORIC DISTRICT, MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA"
  13. ^ "American Architects Directory" by American Institute of Architects, Published by R. R. Bowker Co., 1955
  14. ^ AIA Journal, 1958, page 536.