Herbert B. Turner

Herb Turner was born on March 20, 1926 in Mt. Vernon, New York and raised in Saranac Lake in the midst of The Great Depression. Herb, an only child, attended Saranac Lake High School, Bradens (a prep school for West Point), Lehigh University (1945) and West Point Military Academy (1949). He was the first in his family to attend college.

Following his graduation from West Point, Herb studied at Lehigh University’s Art Students League following which, he studied with Naum Los and Robert Brackman at The National Academy of Design (1951).

Having discovered the beauty of Southern California, and in particular, John Lloyd Wright’s residential designs, Herb decided to head west. Herb wrote Wright requesting an apprenticeship in his Del Mar practice. Following his announcement to his father that he was leaving, Mr. Turner packed up his car and drove to Del Mar. The year was 1952, a time when the dirt roads of Wright’s Del Mar neighborhood were still being cleared by horses dragging eucalyptus logs around the rutted landscape.

Mr. Turner arrived on John Lloyd Wright’s doorstep with the assumption his introductory letter, mailed prior to his departure, had arrived and Wright would welcome him as a young apprentice. Wright invited the young, weary traveler into his home and in exchange for work around the property, Herb was given room and board. The apprenticeship lasted a few years (1952-55) at 75-cents per hour before Turner joined Dale Naegle’s firm.

Herb Turner eventually opened his own office where he established a successful family-run design-build firm. Since his early days in Del Mar, Turner also painted, sculpted and taught students. He exhibited his work at Laguna Beach Art Museum, La Jolla Art Guild, and the San Diego Museum of Art.

Partial Project List

Berkich, George Residence
Location not known

Cates Residence (1964-65)
555 Zuni Drive, Del Mar
*Attribution by Modern San Diego

Cowett, Michael and Patricia Residence (1977)
966 Klish Way, Del Mar

Davenport, EW & Virginia Residence (1955)
3727 La Cresta Drive
*Attribution by original owner Virginia Davenport

Fujimoto, Don Residence
Location not known

Igel, Helmuth & Helga Residence (1964)
495 West Ocean View Avenue, Del Mar
*Attribution by original owner Helga Igel and Herb Turner

Mathes Residence
Del Mar

McAmey Residence (1975)
307 Bellaire, Del Mar

Munger, George Residence (1965)
4866 Sun Valley Road, Del Mar

Private Residence (1958)
1093 Sunset Cliffs Blvd, Ocean Beach

Private Residence (1960)
2851 North Arroyo Drive, Mission Hills

Private Residence (1961)
1970 Zapo, Del Mar

Private Residence (1962)
423 Luzon, Del Mar

Private Residence (1970)
1912 Seaview, Del Mar

Private Residence (1971)
405 8th Street, Del Mar

Private Residence (1972)
115 Nob Avenue, Del Mar

Private Residence (1972)
431 8^th Street, Del Mar

Private Residence (1973)
339 Hidden Pines, Del Mar

Private Residence (1973)
721 Nob Avenue, Del Mar

Private Residence (1975)
16238 Via Del Alba, Rancho Santa Fe

Rypinsky, Richard Residence (1963)
343 Serpentine Drive, Del Mar

Southworth, Albert "Oasis House" (1964)
1087 Klish, Del Mar

Turner, Herb House & Studio (1953)
505-606 Zuni, Del Mar