Jim Turner

My family moved to Tucson in 1951 as a cure for my asthma; it worked. As the Turner kids were growing up, Mom and Dad took us to many of the unique sites that Arizona is famous for, thus began my fascination with the Grand Canyon State and its history.

In 1974 I took my first class in Arizona history. I taught the subject at Canyon del Oro High School in 1976 as part of my training for my bachelor’s degree in secondary education. I continued to study Arizona's past over the years, and began my Arizona history lectures in 1998. I received my master’s degree in U.S. history in 1999, and taught Arizona history as an adjunct professor for the University of Arizona the following year.

In 2001, I began my career as historian for the Arizona Historical Society, where my chief duty was to support non-profit history museums throughout the state. I taught many classes in Arizona history for the museum docents and the general public, and continued to create and present PowerPoint presentations ranging from the American Southwest to the history of Mexico. I was co-author of the award-winning "The Arizona Story," a fourth grade Arizona history textbook published by Gibbs Smith, Publisher.

In 2009 I retired from the Arizona Historical Society and was hired as a part-time editor for Rio Nuevo Publishers, where I have written supporting text for several books, including "Grand Canyon: From Rim to River."

I began writing "Arizona: Celebration of the Grand Canyon State" as soon as I retired, and have made several trips around the state taking photos and gleaning the best historic images thanks to my many “friends in small places” at museums all over the state.

I am now a “Roads Scholar” for the Arizona Humanities Council, giving talks on various Arizona history topics, especially statehood in this bicentennial year. I also give talks for senior living centers, clubs, and conferences, and teach non-credit Arizona history courses as well as for-credit online Arizona history courses for Central Arizona College. I write history articles for the Capitol Times, the Globe-Miami Times, and the Arizona Daily Star column, “Life in the Old Pueblo.”