Scouting Sioux Metro: Turner County steps toward future with $20M courthouse groundbreaking
122-year-old predecessor evacuated in 2024 after structural hazards discovered
PARKER — One of South Dakota’s oldest courthouses is being replaced as Turner County officials this week broke ground on a new $20 million courthouse, marking the beginning of a new chapter in the county’s judicial and administrative history.
A groundbreaking ceremony in Parker Wednesday commemorated the start of construction on a 34,000-square-foot, two-story facility that will replace the original courthouse, which had served the county since 1902.
County leaders say the new courthouse, designed with modern needs in mind, will serve Turner County residents for generations.
“Anyone who has been through this process knows how truly difficult it is to make this happen,” Turner County Commission Chairman Jared Hybertson said. “I’m grateful to those who have worked on this project to bring us to this point. Their commitment, vision, and hard work is why we will now have a new courthouse to serve the citizens of this county for the next century, and generations to come.”
The new courthouse comes after county officials in fall of 2023 discovered significant structural issues throughout the old courthouse, including trusses on the east side of the building that had sunk 19 inches. That led to a partial closure in mid-2024 when the South Dakota Unified Judicial System relocated Turner County court proceedings to a neighboring county. A full evacuation followed in November 2024, and the historic structure was demolished in February 2025.
The new facility is being funded by a $19.8 million bond authorized by the Turner County Commission and is being developed in partnership with engineering firm ISG and construction company Journey Group.
First Circuit Presiding Judge Cheryle Gering said the new courthouse will carry on a proud tradition.
“For more than a century, a courthouse has stood on this hill as a reminder to the people of Turner County and the State of South Dakota of their responsibilities as citizens,” Gering said. “Today, we have the unique opportunity to see the start of construction for a new courthouse. May future generations recognize the important part this courthouse, and the people who work within it, play in preserving the freedoms we all cherish.”
The new courthouse is expected to be completed in 2026.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Scouting Sioux Metro is a feature of The Dakota Scout highlighting people, projects and progress shaping South Dakota’s small towns. A partnership with Sioux Metro Growth Alliance — of which The Dakota Scout is a member, alongside dozens of towns, counties, businesses and nonprofits in the region, this article meets the same journalistic standards as all other content produced by The Dakota Scout.
