Turning a Historic Landscape Into a Journey Through Freedom
FOLLOW THE PLACES. DISCOVER THE PEOPLE. UNDERSTAND THE JOURNEY.
Pigeon-Tech helped bring the Freedom Journey to life as a GPS-enabled mobile experience connecting historic Underground Railroad sites, people and stories across the Ohio River region.
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The Experience at a Glance
Connecting people, places and powerful stories across the Ohio River region.
The Challenge
Important Underground Railroad history exists across many places, but connections between those places are not always visible to the visitor.
Pigeon-Tech Experience
GPS-enabled maps, historic sites, people and stories, self-guided discovery and rich multimedia content.
Visitor Outcome
A deeper understanding of the people, places, risks and decisions behind the journey to freedom.
Operator Outcome
A digital experience that helps connect geographically dispersed history into one discoverable narrative.
A History Written Across the Landscape
Freedom Journey is a self-guided digital experience focused on Underground Railroad history along the Ohio River.
The app connects visitors with significant locations and with stories of freedom seekers, abolitionists, conductors and allies who were part of the region’s history. The experience spans 18 counties across Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana, with content developed in collaboration with historians and heritage organizations.
18 Counties
Historic sites and stories across Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana.
GPS-Enabled Exploration
Use location and maps to discover historically significant places.
People Behind the History
Learn about freedom seekers, abolitionists, conductors and allies.
Institutional Collaboration
Developed with heritage organizations including the Cincinnati Museum Center and National Underground Railroad Freedom Center.
How Do You Make the Connections Between Places, People and History Visible?
Bridging fragmented historical traces into a compelling human journey.
History Is Geographically Dispersed
The story does not exist in one museum or monument. Relevant sites stretch across communities and multiple states.
Some Places Are Easy to Miss
A significant location may today look like an ordinary street, church, cemetery, marker or building.
A Pin on a Map Is Not Enough
Visitors need to understand why the place matters and who was connected to it.
Individual Stories Need Context
The experience must help connect separate people and locations into a broader historical journey.
The Landscape Becomes the Story
Explore. Learn. Connect. Through an interactive map, rich stories and GPS-enabled discovery, the Freedom Journey app transforms the landscape into a meaningful, self-guided experience.
Discover Places
Explore significant Underground Railroad locations through a GPS-enabled map.
Meet the People
Learn about the individuals whose courage shaped the story.
Follow the Connections
See how people, communities and locations are part of a larger network.
Explore at Your Own Pace
Use the app as a flexible, self-guided experience.
Learn Before, During or After a Visit
Access the stories wherever you are, anytime.
Where You Stand Changes What You Understand
A five-tier discovery progression connecting physical places to universal human values.
PLACE
A church, home, cemetery, marker, museum or former site.
PERSON
Who lived, worked, escaped, resisted, assisted or organized here?
STORY
What happened at this place?
CONNECTION
How does it connect to other people and sites?
JOURNEY
How does this location contribute to the broader pursuit of freedom?
18 Counties. One Connected Story.
Underground Railroad history cannot be understood through one location alone. Freedom Journey helps connect sites across the Ohio River region uniting Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana.
A Journey Powered by Pigeon-Tech
Step-by-step exploration through historic landscapes.
Open the App
Find a Historic Site
Arrive at the Place
Discover the People
Understand the Story
Follow the Connection
Continue the Journey
Capabilities Behind the Experience
Purpose-built features for distributed heritage networks.
GPS-Enabled Maps
Historic Points of Interest
Self-Guided Tours
People Profiles
Historical Storytelling
Rich Visual Content
Cross-Site Connections
Content Management
What the Digital Experience Makes Possible
Purpose-built features for distributed heritage networks.
History Becomes Place-Based
Hidden Sites Become Discoverable
Individual Stories Become Connected
Exploration Becomes Self-Guided
Regional History Becomes One Journey
The Impact
Connected historic sites across a multi-state region
Made geographically dispersed history easier to discover
Created a self-guided educational experience
Connected places with stories of freedom seekers and allies
Provided a digital foundation for ongoing heritage discovery
A Lasting Legacy
Created in partnership with America’s River Roots and regional historical organizations.
“The festival was temporary.Explore More Customer Stories
The history — and the journey — remain.”
Could Your History Become a Journey People Can Actually Follow?
Pigeon-Tech helps museums, heritage organizations, communities and destinations connect historic places, people, stories, maps and self-guided exploration into one meaningful digital experience.
