METHODOLOGY

            Two Wyoming weekly, community newspapers were chosen for this study because they seem representative of the use of original artwork or ornamentation in flags. The Glenrock Independent began publication in 1922 and has a circulation of 989. Glenrock is a town of 2,153 people in east-central Wyoming. The closest city of any size is Casper, population 51,300, about 30 miles west. The principal occupation is mining, and there are many ranches outside of town. The newspaper is owned by Matt Adelman, who also owns the nearby Douglas weekly newspaper.

            The Guernsey Gazette has a circulation of 480 readers. Guernsey is about 80 miles east of Glenrock and has a population of 1,155. The newspaper began publishing in 1902, serving nearby mining and ranching communities. The Gazette is owned by Wyoming Newspapers Inc.

            Interviews were conducted with Adelman, an employee of the Glenrock Independent, the editor of the Guernsey Gazette, and the manager of the Gazette.

            Photographs of the two communities found on the Internet were collected.

Histories of the two communities also were analyzed as part of the data. Finally, the flags themselves were analyzed for content.

RESULTS