Pullman — The Strike That Stopped the Rails
Decipher the hidden truth behind the 1894 Pullman Strike—uncover coded messages, labor conspiracies, and the railway magnate's secrets buried in the factory town.
📱 1 to 10 phones · 1 team per phone · Independent codes
May 1894: George Pullman's company town is in turmoil
Immerse yourself in the heart of Chicago and relive the 1894 Pullman Strike, a social standoff that paralyzed American railways and redefined workers' rights.
Step into the shoes of an investigative journalist, Eugene V. Debs, dispatched to Chicago in May 1894 to cover the historic Pullman Strike. Your mission: document the events unfolding in this model neighborhood of Illinois, from the factory to the workers' cottages. At each stage of this approximately 1.5 km journey, your phone becomes your camera lens: augmented reality clues appear on red brick facades, industrial relics, and gathering places. A striking worker appears near the Historic Market Hall, period documents float in front of the Hotel Florence, and the silhouettes of federal soldiers emerge in the Pullman Historic District. In approximately 165 minutes, you'll trace your own narrative of this decisive confrontation in U.S. history. More than an outdoor escape game: an interactive immersive tour into a key chapter of Chicago's heritage, with anecdotes revealed at each stop and confidential sites that classic guides often miss.
Les lieux que vous découvrirez
Les vrais lieux que vous explorerez au fil de l'aventure. Énigmes en réalité augmentée à chaque étape.
A game, a guided tour and a heritage guide — all in one
You're not just buying an escape game. You're carrying a living guide — historical anecdotes, forgotten legends, key monuments, hidden architecture — unfolding as you go.
At each stop, places ordinary guides miss — secret façades, sculpted crests, alleys steeped in history.
Every riddle is rooted in a real historical fact or local legend. You leave with dozens of stories to tell.
Learn to read buildings — flamboyant Gothic, Baroque, Art Deco — like a real art historian, while having fun.
Walk through the city like a novel's character — every alley becomes a stage, every square a theatre.
A voice walks with you at every step, tells the story of each place, reads clues, adds a cinematic feel.
Keep access to the guide & game for 1 year. Come back any time, share it with friends.
« You will not leave this city the way you entered it. »
How does it work?
Explore the city on foot solving puzzles based on real historical facts. No locked room — the city is your playground.
No app to download. Play directly from your browser. Guided step by step, at your own pace.
One purchase per phone is enough. Play with family, friends or as a couple — everyone participates.
Point your phone at the façade: a historical character appears and speaks to you in your language. Golden letters magically write themselves on the wall to reveal the puzzle answer.
Stuck? Progressive personalised hints. The character repeats the puzzle on demand — at your own pace.
French, English, German, Spanish, Italian + 27 other languages auto-translated by AI.
Want to go deeper?
Places tied to your adventure — optional entries, totally up to you · per person
The story that haunts this land
Your investigation begins at the historic Market Hall, built in 1884-1885 by Solon Spencer Beman's architectural firm as the central covered market for the Pullman district. This red-brick Queen Anne style building, approximately 1,800 m² in area, served as the sales point for local produce for residents. It was restored in 1972 and listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1970. It was here, in close proximity to the Pullman factory, that workers gathered and exchanged the first rumors of the 1894 strike, a place of daily life that became a hub of social protest in the heart of Chicago.
Continue towards the Hotel Florence, a luxurious 100-room hotel opened in 1881 by George Pullman to accommodate dignitaries and buyers. Its Italianate architecture, also designed by Solon S. Beman, earned it a listing as a National Historic Landmark in 1971. During the strike of May 11, 1894, this iconic Chicago edifice housed Pullman executives who refused to negotiate with the strikers. Today, it hosts a museum managed by the Historic Pullman Foundation since 1998, offering a glimpse into the opulence of a bygone era contrasting with the workers' plight.
The path then leads you to the Greenstone United Methodist Church, consecrated in 1890. Built from local greenstone (soapstone) by Solon S. Beman, this Richardsonian Romanesque style Methodist church, with its 38-meter bell tower, served the Pullman working community. It was a vital source of moral support during the 1894 strike, the only religious building in the historic Pullman district, restored in 1978. It embodies the faith and resilience of the inhabitants facing the economic difficulties and social tensions that shook industrial Illinois.
Your journey takes you into the heart of the Pullman Factory Site, the plant founded in 1880 by George Pullman. By 1893, it employed up to 13,000 workers across 50 hectares. This was the exact site where the strike began on May 11, 1894, when 3,000 to 4,000 employees rose up against 25-40% wage cuts. The assembly buildings of the Pullman Palace Car Company are partially preserved, with remnants of the forges and workshops still visible. Designated a National Historic Landmark District in 1970, this site is a powerful testament to Chicago's industrial and social history.
Finally, you reach the Pullman Administration Building, constructed in 1883-1884, with its twin 21-meter towers. It was here that George Pullman, whose Renaissance architecture was also the work of Solon Beman, occupied his offices and refused all mediation until August 2, 1894. This edifice, transformed into a museum in 1999 and listed on the National Register in 1970, symbolizes corporate authority facing revolt. Your exploration of the Pullman Historic District, the first American district designated a National Historic Landmark in 1970 and a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2015, will have allowed you to understand the stakes of this strike that marked the history of Chicago, Illinois, and the United States, passing by the Workers' Row Houses (laborers' cottages) built between 1880 and 1890. You carry with you the narrative of this struggle for social justice, a living history lesson at the heart of Chicago's motto: "I Will".
The Route
8 stages through the city
The gameplay: AR, camera, hidden clues
At each stop, open your phone camera: an augmented reality character appears on the façade and speaks your language. Hunt the clue — it materializes as golden letters on the real wall or floats in front of you. When you find it, the phone vibrates, an AR chest opens and reveals your answer fragment. 8 stops, 8 clues to find with the camera, 1 final code.
The stops on your route are a surprise. You'll discover them one by one, guided by your phone, starting from the meeting point.
How does it work with a group?
One phone = one team. Pick the number at checkout (1 to 10).
Solo, or a group sharing the screen. One team, one code.
Family, couple, or 2-3 teams competing. Each phone has its own code and its own score.
Friends, bachelor/bachelorette, small office outing — each their own code, each plays at their own pace. Tiered pricing then €6 flat per phone from the 6th.
- ✓All codes are independent — play at the same time OR separately, each team advances at its own pace.
- ✓Leaderboard between your teams + global game leaderboard — each score appears in the public ranking.
- ✓More than 10 phones or need a personalized quest? Discover custom tours.
Ready to live this adventure?
Get my code · 12€No calendar booking. Code sent immediately by email.
🔒 Secure payment · Code in 5 min · Free cancellation
Practical info
Why this route?
Historical Investigation
Dive into the archives of one of the most controversial strikes in U.S. history and unravel the facts.
Industrial Heritage
Explore the model town of Pullman, a unique architectural and social site.
Social Conflicts
Understand the complex dynamics between capital and labor that shaped modern America.
Forgotten voices demand justice.
Pullman's truth is within reach.
9 features nobody else has
OddballTrip combines gamified play, augmented reality and AI. All our competitors deliver 1 or 2 of these angles. We deliver all 5.
AR treasure chest
A golden chest floats in front of the monument. Tap → opening animation → reveals a secret message.
AR narrator character
Point your phone at the façade: a knight, witch, monk, sailor, detective or ghost appears full-screen and speaks to you in your language with their dedicated ElevenLabs voice (each character has their own unique voice) — your living guide.
Magic golden letters
At the puzzle climax, golden letters magically write themselves on the real wall — that's the puzzle answer. An unforgettable visual effect.
Written + audio narration
Every puzzle available as text AND voice-over: read at your own pace or listen eyes-free while walking. Great in groups and for accessibility.
360° radar + vibration
A mini-radar shows the target even behind you, and the phone vibrates when you aim in the right direction.
Heritage storytelling
Every puzzle weaves in real historical facts (architecture, era, anecdotes). You learn by playing — like a gamified audioguide.
Progressive AI hints
3 levels of AI-generated help: vibe → where to look → answer format. You're never stuck.
AR selfie memento
At the end of the game, capture a selfie with OddballTrip banner + mascot, shareable on Instagram, WhatsApp, TikTok.
Zero app to install
PWA technology: open the link, it plays in your browser. Same quality as an app, no App Store hassle.
Frequently asked questions
Q01Do I need to download an app?
No, never. You get a link, you click, it plays in your browser. That's the point of a PWA: same as an app, without the hassle.
Q02Does it work offline?
GPS yes (handled by your phone). Maps yes (tiles cached). AI and hints need an intermittent 4G connection.
Q03How long does a game take?
1 h 30 to 2 h 30 depending on your pace. The timer runs but only for the leaderboard — you play at your own tempo.
Q04What happens if I'm stuck?
You get 3 levels of hints per puzzle (increasing penalty). If truly stuck, you can skip the step (45-min penalty but you keep going).
Q05What's the age range?
From 12 without an adult, from 6 with an adult reading puzzles. Works for families, couples, friend groups, companies.
Q06What if my city isn't in the catalogue?
Pre-register or contact us — we'll email you as soon as your city is live.
Q07What is augmented reality exactly?
Point your phone at the façade: a historical character appears full-screen and speaks to you in your language. At the puzzle climax, golden letters magically write themselves on the real wall — that's your answer. After each puzzle solved, a treasure chest floats in front of you. Seeing is believing.
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Your turn to play
Immerse yourself in the heart of Chicago and relive the 1894 Pullman Strike, a social standoff that paralyzed American railways and redefined workers' rights.
1 purchase = 1 phone. Play several on the same device.
No calendar booking. Code sent immediately by email.
🔒Secure payment · Code in 5 min · Free cancellation
🪙+24 TripCoins granted with your booking
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