Eureka's Vanished Quarter — Uncover the 1885 Expulsion
Decipher the hidden records of Eureka's 1885 Chinese expulsion. Uncover why an entire community was erased in 24 hours and expose the conspiracy that silenced their story.
📱 1 to 10 phones · 1 team per phone · Independent codes
February 8, 1885
The Shadow of 1885 Hangs Over Eureka
February 8, 1885. In a single night, hundreds of Chinese residents were forced onto a steamship and banished from Eureka forever. An angry mob blamed the Chinese for a city councilman's death, erected gallows, and voted to expel an entire community within 24 hours. For over 140 years, Eureka's leaders buried the truth. But fragments remain scattered across Old Town—coded ledgers in merchant archives, witness testimonies hidden in church records, newspaper clippings that contradict official accounts, and the physical traces of Chinatown itself. Your mission: reconstruct the real sequence of events, expose the conspiracy that orchestrated the expulsion, and uncover why the city worked so hard to erase this dark chapter. The answers lie in eight locations across the historic quarter where Chinese merchants once thrived, where the mob gathered, and where the decision to banish an entire people was made. Can you decipher the truth before it's forgotten forever?
« We understand that those who are opposed to the Chinese will be on hand to assist them in packing up. »— Humboldt Standard, February 7, 1885
The Chinese Expulsion from Eureka: A Forgotten History
Throughout the 19th century, thousands of Chinese immigrants arrived in California, drawn by the Gold Rush and work opportunities. In Eureka, a thriving Chinese community had established itself, primarily around what is now Old Town. However, rising anti-Chinese sentiment, fueled by economic fears and racial prejudice, created a tense climate. In 1882, the Chinese Exclusion Act was enacted, banning Chinese immigration and intensifying local discrimination.
On February 6, 1885, a tragic event served as a catalyst. City Councilman David Kendall was shot and killed during an altercation. Although details remain unclear, the death was quickly attributed to Chinese assailants. The next day, a massive public meeting was held, resulting in a resolution demanding that all Chinese residents leave the city within 24 hours. The Chinese community, forced onto ships, was expelled, and their neighborhood, Chinatown, was systematically demolished, erasing a part of Eureka's history for decades. In 1959, the Eureka City Council finally issued a resolution acknowledging the injustice of this event.
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 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?
Archives of the Past
Explore fragments of a secret testimony to reconstruct the poignant narrative of the 1885 expulsion.
Paths of Memory
Walk the streets and iconic locations of Old Town Eureka, once witnesses to the life and departure of a community.
Hidden Truth
Untangle facts from prejudice to reveal the full story of a pivotal Californian event and seek justice.
Memory is a form of justice.
Unravel the past, honor forgotten voices.
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, 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.
Avis des aventuriers
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Your turn to play
Delve into Eureka's history and reconstruct the secret testimony that sheds new light on the 1885 Chinese expulsion. Your insight is the key to ensuring this truth is never forgotten.
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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