Raised in Pennsylvania, Edward Wynkoop hung up his city clothes and headed West at the onset of the Colorado gold rush. He was instrumental in founding the city of Denver and turned soldier and fought for the Union cause at Glorietta pass. From the beginning Wynkoop distinguished himself as a leader, never afraid to take action or to stand up for his beliefs. In a bold move, Wynkoop rode into a camp of Cheyenne Indians to exchange hostages with Chief Black Kettle and became a spokesman for the Cheyenne in the wake of the Sand Creek Massacre. During years of conflict between the settlers and the Indians, Wynkoop walked a line between two cultures. He never gave up on the idea that peace between the whites and Indians was possible.