Scranton — Black Diamonds Conspiracy
Uncover the anthracite barons' conspiracy: labor betrayals, union sabotage, and a miners' fortune hidden in the mines. Decipher their coded clues across Scranton's coal heritage sites.
📱 1 to 10 phones · 1 team per phone · Independent codes
In the gritty heart of 19th-century Scranton, the 'Black Diamonds'—the miners known as gueules noires—fueled America's industrial might digging anthracite coal
Scranton — Black Diamonds Conspiracy
You are Selden T.
Scranton, a visionary businessman in 1870 Scranton, Pennsylvania, tasked with thwarting a conspiracy threatening the "black diamonds" of Lackawanna County.
Delve into Scranton's industrial past, Pennsylvania's "Electric City," where blast furnaces recount the epic of coal and iron.
The story that haunts this land
Your investigation begins in front of the Lackawanna County Courthouse, a Second Empire building constructed between 1881 and 1883. Its 175-foot central tower, designed by architect Isaac G. Perry, reminds you of the administrative power of Lackawanna County, which it has served as headquarters since 1883. This building, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979, is the ideal starting point to understand the political and economic stakes that shaped Scranton, a city at the heart of Pennsylvania's industrial heritage.
Continue to the Scranton Iron Furnaces, four brick blast furnaces erected between 1855 and 1860 by the Lackawanna Iron & Coal Company. These nearly 60-foot-tall structures are the oldest surviving anthracite iron blast furnaces in the United States, a testament to the region's Industrial Heritage. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1991, they symbolize Pennsylvania's coal wealth and the era when Scranton was dubbed the "Electric City" thanks to technological innovation and mining.
The path then leads you to the Steamtown National Historic Site, a vast 62-acre complex established in 1986. Here you'll discover railroad repair shops dating back to 1912 and a collection of over 30 vintage steam locomotives and cars. The former Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad station, built in 1908, is a Historic Landmark that traces the importance of rail transport for Scranton's industrial development and the delivery of Pennsylvania's resources across the country.
Exploring downtown Scranton, you'll discover the Connell Building, the city's first steel-framed building, erected in 1896. Designed by architect William J. Connell, this 10-story, 135-foot-tall edifice is an early example of steel construction in the northeastern United States. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980, it illustrates the architectural daring and innovation that characterized Scranton at the height of its industrial power, a city in constant evolution.
Your journey concludes by exploring St. Peter's Cathedral, built in 1868 by architect Patrick W. Keely, seat of the Diocese of Scranton. Its Gothic style and 200-foot-long nave, accommodating 1,500 people, make it a Historic Landmark listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. Then, the Masonic Temple and Scottish Rite Cathedral, designed by Raymond Hood in 1912-1913 in a neoclassical style, with its 1,500-seat auditorium, reminds you of the influence of fraternities and cultural institutions on the development of the "Electric City." This itinerary is a truly interactive tour of Scranton, Pennsylvania's heritage.
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?
Dive into the mines
Follow in the footsteps of anthracite miners and their struggles for better conditions.
The golden age of railways
Explore the crucial role of railways in coal transport and Scranton's growth.
The secret journal
Decipher the clues left by a union leader to reveal a bold plan for the future of workers.
In the depths of the earth and the spirit of men, lies Scranton's true legacy.
Uncover a past that still shapes the present.
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
Soyez le premier à partager votre expérience.
Did you play l heritage des gueules noires? Check the email you received after your game to leave a verified review.
Your turn to play
Delve into Scranton's industrial past, Pennsylvania's "Electric City," where blast furnaces recount the epic of coal and iron.
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
Other escape games in États-Unis
View États-Unis→More destinations, tours & urban treasure hunts across the country
Gettysburg — Orphanage of Shadows
Three Mile Island — Uncover the Cover-Up
Dealey Plaza — Decode the November Conspiracy
Hell's Half Acre — Uncover the Haunting Curse
Explore other cities in États-Unis
Bethlehem
Steel city with Moravian charm
Princeton
Academic elegance and Ivy League mysteries
Valley Forge
Where American independence was forged
Woodstock
Cradle of counterculture and art in the heart of the Catskills
Sleepy Hollow
Where the Headless Horseman legend comes alive
Cooperstown
Birthplace of American baseball and art