Tucson is unique in Southwestern history in that it was not a cattle town, nor a mining boom town. Our leading citizens in territorial days included Jewish merchants, a nationally known best selling author, a future New York City mayor, and an untiring champion of poor tubercular patients. On the other hand we had our share of gamblers, dance hall girls, and stage robbers. Here you will find a collection of thumbnail sketches, half-legends, and some stories that might even be true.Jim Turner ~ Biography
Jim Turner’s whole Connecticut Yankee family moved to Tucson in 1951 to save little Jimmy from asthma. He attended Peter E. Howell Elementary, Alice Vail Junior High, and Rincon High School. Jim took his first course in Arizona history in 1974 and taught Arizona history at Canyon del Oro High School for his student teaching requirement in 1976. He received his masters degree in U.S. history from the U of A in 1999 and was historian for the Arizona Historical Society from 2001-2009. He retired and became an editor/author for Rio Nuevo Publishers in 2009 and published his first book, Arizona: A Celebration of the Grand Canyon State in 2011. He has since written four books for Rio Nuevo Publishers.
