A University of Wisconsin-Madison historian, who contributed to a well-known, written historical account of the university, died Oct. 23 at the age of 66.
As a campus historian until his retirement in 2006, John Jenkins completed many projects including histories of the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, School of Medicine and Public Health, and UW Housing.
He was best known for his work with E. David Cronon that contributed to the book “The University of Wisconsin: A History,” which is regarded as “one of the finest histories of any university in the United States,” according to a UW-Madison news release.
“All four volumes really treat the university as a major focus for historical analysis,” the release said.
Jenkins studied philosophy at UW-Stevens Point and went on to earn his master’s and doctoral degrees from UW-Madison in educational policy studies.
Eric Olmanson, who also worked on UW-Madison historical projects, said Jenkins wanted to get information right and ensure his work portrayed past events accurately.
