Louis C. Hunter (1898 – 1984) was a

professor Professor (commonly abbreviated as Prof.) is an Academy, academic rank at university, universities and other tertiary education, post-secondary education and research institutions in most countries. Literally, ''professor'' derives from Latin ...

economic history Economic history is the study of history using methodological tools from economics or with a special attention to economic phenomena. Research is conducted using a combination of historical methods, statistical methods and the Applied economics ...

American University The American University (AU or American) is a Private university, private University charter#Federal, federally chartered research university in Washington, D.C., United States. Its main campus spans 90-acres (36 ha) on Ward Circle, in the Spri ...

. His most famous work, ''Steamboats on the Western Rivers, an Economic and Technological History'', was published in 1949.Hunter, Louis C. (1949). ''Steamboats on the western rivers, an economic and technological history''. Cambridge: Harvard University Press Hunter grew up in a

steamboat A steamboat is a boat that is marine propulsion, propelled primarily by marine steam engine, steam power, typically driving propellers or Paddle steamer, paddlewheels. The term ''steamboat'' is used to refer to small steam-powered vessels worki ...

culture Culture ( ) is a concept that encompasses the social behavior, institutions, and Social norm, norms found in human societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, Social norm, customs, capabilities, Attitude (psychology), attitudes ...

as he spent his first eighteen years living on the banks of the

Ohio River The Ohio River () is a river in the United States. It is located at the boundary of the Midwestern and Southern United States, flowing in a southwesterly direction from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to its river mouth, mouth on the Mississippi Riv ...

, at

Wellsburg, West Virginia Wellsburg is a city in and the county seat of Brooke County, West Virginia, United States. The 2020 United States census, 2020 census recorded a population of 2,455. It is a part of the Weirton–Steubenville metropolitan area. The city's econom ...

, and the

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the main stem, primary river of the largest drainage basin in the United States. It is the second-longest river in the United States, behind only the Missouri River, Missouri. From its traditional source of Lake Ita ...

, at

Moline, Illinois Moline ( ) is a city in Rock Island County, Illinois, United States. With a population of 42,985 in the 2020 census, it is the largest city in Rock Island County and the List of municipalities in Illinois, ninth-most populous in Illinois outside ...

.White, John H. (1993). "Introduction to the Dover edition", ''Steamboats on the western rivers, an economic and technological history''. Mineola, New York: Dover Publications. A biography of Louis C. Hunter by John H. White, Senior Historian Emeritus of the

Smithsonian Institution The Smithsonian Institution ( ), or simply the Smithsonian, is a group of museums, Education center, education and Research institute, research centers, created by the Federal government of the United States, U.S. government "for the increase a ...

. After studying

engineering Engineering is the practice of using natural science, mathematics, and the engineering design process to Problem solving#Engineering, solve problems within technology, increase efficiency and productivity, and improve Systems engineering, s ...

and

Harvard University Harvard University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the History of the Puritans in North America, Puritan clergyma ...

, he received a

doctorate A doctorate (from Latin ''doctor'', meaning "teacher") or doctoral degree is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities and some other educational institutions, derived from the ancient formalism '' licentia docendi'' ("licence to teach ...

in 1928. For the next twenty years, Hunter was engaged in research for ''Steamboats on the Western Rivers''. In 1952, his scholarship was acknowledged when he was awarded the Dunning Prize by the

American Historical Association The American Historical Association (AHA) is the oldest professional association of historians in the United States and the largest such organization in the world, claiming over 10,000 members. Founded in 1884, AHA works to protect academic free ...

. In 1937, Hunter joined the faculty of American University where he was a professor of history until his retirement in 1966. In 1979, the first volume of his trilogy, ''A History of Industrial Power in the United States, 1780-1930'', was published. In 1983, Dr. Hunter was awarded the

Leonardo da Vinci Medal The Leonardo da Vinci Medal is the highest award of the Society for the History of Technology (SHOT), and was first given in 1962. In general this award is granted annually to scholars who have contributed outstandingly to the history of technology ...

by the Society of History of Technology. Hunter was married and the father of two daughters. Louis C. Hunter died on March 22, 1984.

References

Bibliography

*Hunter, Louis C. (1949). ''Steamboats on the western rivers, an economic and technological history''. Cambridge: Harvard University Press *Hunter, Louis C. (1979). ''A history of industrial power in the United States, 1780-1930: water power''. Charlottesville, Va.: University Press of Virginia *Hunter, Louis C. (1985). ''A history of industrial power in the United States, 1780-1930: steam power''. Charlottesville, Va.: University Press of Virginia *Hunter, Louis C. and Lynwood Bryant (1991). ''A history of industrial power in the United States, 1780-1930: the transmission of power''. Boston: MIT Press 1898 births 1984 deaths Harvard University alumni 20th-century American historians 20th-century American male writers American economic historians Historians of technology 20th-century American economists Leonardo da Vinci Medal recipients American male non-fiction writers People from Wellsburg, West Virginia Historians from West Virginia Economists from West Virginia American University faculty {{US-economist-stub