Hugh T. Lovin taught history at Boise State from 1965-1993. Lovin published frequently in Idaho Yesterdays, Journal of the West, Pacific Northwest Quarterly, and numerous other state and regional journals. His primary research interests were labor history and irrigation/water history. The edited volume published posthumously, Complexity in a Ditch: Bringing Water to the Idaho Desert includes several of his notable essays.
In the summer of 2021, Special Collections and Archives hosted a volunteer processor, Chelsea Cates, to arrange and describe Lovin’s papers. Lovin was meticulous in his research and documentation, which covers topics such as the history of irrigation in Idaho and the West, labor movements in the U.S., third-party political groups including Socialists and the Idaho Non-Partisan League, President Lyndon Johnson and the Subversive Activities Control Board, and the Spanish War.
Lovin’s papers are open to all researchers. More information on accessing the collection can be found on the Special Collections and
Archives website or by emailing archives@boisestate.edu.