Nelson Article for ‘Western Express’ Named Best of Year

Gordon Nelson, Distinguished Professor of Chemistry and Fellow of the American Chemical Society, has been recognized for his excellence in a different topic – the history of western U.S. mails.

Nelson’s 30-page article, “Langton’s Humboldt Express,” which appeared in the March 2020 edition of Western Express (excerpted here), won the quarterly research journal’s Basil C. Pearce Award for most outstanding article of 2020. “One of the few western express companies that issued an adhesive stamp was Langton’s Humboldt Express,” Nelson wrote in the introduction. “This article explores some of the issues of Samuel Langton’s Pioneer Express as it applies to the Nevada Humboldt Mining District.”

Gordon’s article was nominated by the journal’s editor, and the 11 members of the Board of Directors make the final selection. Western Express is the journal of the Western Cover Society, the premier society for those interested in the study of the history of western U.S. mails.