Wild West Podcast

Send us a textGold rushes change landscapes—both physical and human. When 100,000 settlers poured into Colorado Territory following the 1858 discovery of gold, they unknowingly set in motion a chain of events that would culminate in one of America's most controversial military actions. The newcomers' wagons followed water sources critical to both buffalo herds and the nomadic Plains Indians who depended on them for survival. As these resources vanished, tensions escalated into violence.Historian Jeff Broome takes us deep into the complexities of the Sand Creek Massacre, challenging simplified narratives through meticulous primary source research. His account traces the growing conflict through 1864—from the killing of Cheyenne Chief Lean Bear to the Hungate family murders to the failed Camp Weld peace conference. Each incident represents a thread in a complex tapestry of cultural misunderstanding, economic pressure, and political maneuvering.What makes Broome's perspective particularly valuable