322 Vernon View Drive, Savannah, Georgia
Ghost Residents  ·  No. 022  ·  DEED Discovery

His Father Came to Savannah
to Sell Billboards.
His Son Built CNN.

The confirmed Savannah childhood address of Ted Turner — founder of CNN — discovered in the 1950 United States Census.

322 Vernon View Drive, Savannah, Georgia
1950 Census Confirmed DEED Discovery May 7, 2026
322 Vernon View Drive, Savannah, Georgia
Photograph coming soon
322 Vernon View Drive  ·  Savannah, Georgia  ·  As it stands today

The 1950 United States Census places the Turner family at 322 Vernon View Drive in Savannah, Georgia. Robert E. Turner — listed as Head of Household, age 39, born Mississippi, Occupation: President, Industry: Outdoor Advertising. His wife Florence M., age 40, born Ohio. His son Robert E. Jr., age 11, born Ohio. His daughter Mary J., age 8, born Ohio.

Robert E. Jr. was Ted Turner. The founder of CNN. The man who created the first 24-hour cable news network, launched TNT and TBS, owned the Atlanta Braves and the Atlanta Hawks, won the America's Cup in 1977, and gave one billion dollars to the United Nations. He was eleven years old at this address. His father had just moved the family from Cincinnati to Savannah so he could build a billboard company.

Ed Turner built Turner Advertising into one of the most successful outdoor advertising companies in the Southeast. He gave his son a work ethic and a restlessness and an understanding of the billboard business that Ted Turner would spend the rest of his life outrunning and outbuilding. Then in March 1963 Ed Turner committed suicide. He left a twenty-four year old Ted Turner in charge of a growing but deeply indebted company. Ted Turner did not sell. He built.

It started at 322 Vernon View Drive. A billboard salesman moved his eleven year old son to Savannah. That son changed American media forever.

Ted Turner grew up sailing at the Savannah Yacht Club — beginning competitive racing at age eleven, the same year the census recorded him at this address. He attended McCallie School in Chattanooga at age twelve. He left Savannah but Savannah never entirely left him. He was inducted as a Georgia Trustee by the Georgia Historical Society in 2010 — an honor given to individuals whose accomplishments reflect the ideals of the founding Trustees of the Georgia colony.

Ted Turner died on May 6, 2026 at the age of 87. Every obituary published in the hours following his death noted that he grew up in Savannah. None of them named this address. DEED found it in the 1950 census — enumerated April 21, 1950, by enumerator Anna H. Bachman — the day after his death.

11 Years old when the census recorded him at this address
1980 Year CNN launched — the first 24-hour cable news network
$1B Donated to the United Nations — largest private gift in history at the time
Ted Turner
Portrait photograph coming soon
Ted Turner  ·  1938–2026
Portrait credit to be added when photograph is sourced and cleared
322 Vernon View Drive, Savannah, Georgia
Photograph coming soon  ·  322 Vernon View Drive
322 Vernon View Drive  ·  Savannah, Georgia  ·  As it stands today
THE RECORD Primary Source · DEED Discovery
1950 Census — Turner family
Document coming soon
Tap to view full document
1950 U.S. Census · ED 25-24 · Sheet 30 · April 21, 1950
HeadTurner, Robert E.  ·  Age 39  ·  Born Mississippi
OccupationPresident  ·  Outdoor Advertising
WifeFlorence M.  ·  Age 40  ·  Born Ohio
SonRobert E. Jr.  ·  Age 11  ·  Born Ohio  ·  Ted Turner
DaughterMary J.  ·  Age 8  ·  Born Ohio
Address322 Vernon View Drive, Savannah, Georgia
EnumeratorAnna H. Bachman  ·  April 21, 1950
DiscoveryDEED History  ·  May 7, 2026
Primary Source Citation
1950 United States Census  ·  Department of Commerce Bureau of the Census  ·  Chatham County, Georgia  ·  Enumeration District 25-24  ·  Sheet 30  ·  Enumerated April 21, 1950 by Anna H. Bachman  ·  Turner Robert E. — Head — White — Male — Age 39 — Born Mississippi — President, Outdoor Advertising  ·  Son Robert Edward Turner Jr. age 11 — confirmed as Ted Turner  ·  Address: 322 Vernon View Drive, Savannah, Georgia  ·  Census image viewed and read directly  ·  Research and discovery by DEED History, May 7, 2026
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