1935
Born to Harry and Margaret Wilson in St. Joseph, MO.
1957
Earns a Bachelor of Journalism from the University of Missouri.
1958
Achieves a Master of Arts in history from the University of Missouri.
1960
Marries Katharine (Kitty) Lehr on June 18.
1962
Obtains a PhD in history from the University of Missouri; Is an assistant professor at the University of South Dakota until 1963.
1963
Teaches as an assistant and associate professor at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks until 1967.
1964
Publishes “The City Beautiful Movement in Kansas City;” Serves on the membership committee of the Org. of American Historians until 1967.
1968
Is a fellow of the National Endowment of the Humanities.
1968
Serves the University of North Texas as an associate, full and regent’s professor of history until attaining emeritus status in 2001.
1974
Publishes “Coming of Age: Urban America, 1915-1945.”
1977
Publishes “Railroad in the Clouds: The Alaska Railroad in the Age of Steam, 1914-1945.”
1979
Serves on the executive committee of the International Planning History Society until 1984 and again in 1990.
1989
Publishes “The City Beautiful Movement;” Receives the Lewis Mumford Prize Society for American City and Regional Planning History.
1989
Receives the Outstanding Book of the Year Award in Architect and Urban Planning from the Association of American Publishers.
1995
Serves as president of the Society for American City and Regional Planning History until 1997.
1998
Publishes “Hamilton Park: A Planned Black Community in Dallas.”
2009
Publishes “Shaper of Seattle: Reginald Heber Thomson’s Pacific Northwest.”
2014
Publishes “Developing the Pacific Northwest: The Life and Work of Asahel Curtis.”
2018
Publishes “Cars and Cities: The American Experience.”