Dan Olson Wilkinson, a Northern California native, has always been fascinated by the unique names and places that surround him. As a young man, he served in the United States Army before beginning a career as an aircraft mechanic, working throughout the Bay Area. Over the years, he has lived and worked in many of the locations that are incorporated into Alta, including Petaluma.After attending Santa Clara University School of Law, Dan practiced law in Fremont, San Jose, and later in Eureka. History has always been one of his greatest passions. Although he has spent many years studying the Civil War period, he often finds the extensive volumes of facts and figures to be tedious reading. His greatest enjoyment has always come from reading a well-written historical novel.