ABSTRACT
Since the close of the nineteenth century, diverse historical accounts have been put in circulation as integral parts of planning theory. With the establishment of an independent British town planning literature and the rise of English as lingua franca, exemplary models and historical narratives were increasingly discussed on an international level. The release of seminal books and journals as well as personal interactions at town planning conferences led this process culminate around 1909/1910. This remarkable knowledge exchange achieved a global impact and resulted in a canonization of historical narratives in the town planning literature.
This chapter examines diverse historical accounts in early town planning literature with a particular focus on pioneering German and British manuals. It firstly discusses related methodological approaches of literature-based analysis in planning history and the value of handbooks as research subjects for such an inquiry. It then traces the emergence and increase of various uses of history before the decisive juncture of 1909/1910, compares these texts with coeval writings, and analyzes their perception in the contemporary town planning discourse. The chapter finally discusses as to what extent the debate on history mirrored or even informed the formation process of modern town planning as an academic subject and profession.
