FAQ | RoadHistorical

What is RoadHistorical?

RoadHistorical is a mobile app for discovering Texas historical markers while you travel. It helps you spot markers nearby, read the stories behind them, listen on the road, and keep track of the places you save or visit.

Do I need to be a history expert?

Not at all. The app is built for curious travelers, families, and road-trippers who just want to notice more of Texas as they drive. You can browse quickly or dig deeper whenever something catches your eye.

Is it available on iPhone and Android?

RoadHistorical is available now on iPhone. Android is still in progress, so the website currently points iPhone users to the App Store and lists Android as coming soon.

How does RoadHistorical find markers near me?

The app uses your device location to compare where you are with a large local marker dataset on the phone. That lets it surface nearby stops quickly in map and list views while you are on the move.

What is Discovery Mode?

Discovery Mode keeps watch for nearby markers while you travel and can alert you when you are close to places worth stopping for. It is the feature designed for active road trips instead of manual browsing.

Why does Discovery Mode ask for location and notification permissions?

Location permission is what lets the app know when you are near a marker. Notification permission is what lets it actually alert you. Without both, Discovery Mode cannot reliably tell you about nearby places at the right time.

What happens if I only allow location while using the app?

You can still browse and use location-aware features while the app is open. On Android, Discovery Mode becomes more limited without "Allow all the time" and may only check roughly every 15 minutes instead of reacting in real time, which means you can miss markers you pass quickly.

Does the app work while traveling or with spotty service?

Yes, a big part of the experience is built for travel. Marker lookups use local cached data on the device, so nearby discovery stays fast even when service is weak. Some richer features still work best with an internet connection.

Where does the marker data come from?

The app uses a large Texas marker dataset that is downloaded and cached locally from RoadHistorical's CDN, then queried on-device for fast discovery. That is what powers the core nearby search experience.

What needs internet access versus what is available from local data?

Core marker discovery, map/list browsing, and cached place data are designed to stay useful from local storage. Internet helps with things like fresh AI tour-guide responses, synced account data, and some richer media or live-backed details.

Can I save places for later?

Yes. You can save places to a "Want to Visit" list and return to them later when you are planning a drive or deciding where to stop next.

What does "Visited" do?

Marking a place as visited helps you track where you have actually stopped, powers progress features like badges and streaks, and can unlock actions such as ratings once a visit is recorded.

Do I need an account to use the app?

You can explore without being a history power user, but some progress-driven features are tied to signing in. The app supports guest use for browsing, while account-based features help keep saved places and progress associated with you.

What happens to my saved places and progress if I sign in?

When you sign in, RoadHistorical can sync saved and visited places with your account so your progress is easier to keep across sessions. That is especially helpful if you use bookmarks, visited tracking, and other personal progress features regularly.

What does the AI Tour Guide do?

The AI Tour Guide gives conversational historical context for a place, so you can ask follow-up questions and get a richer explanation than a simple one-line summary. It is meant to feel more like a travel companion than a static label.

Can I listen instead of reading?

Yes. RoadHistorical supports audio narration and text-to-speech so you can listen more easily while driving or when you would rather hear the story than read it on screen.

What are badges and trips?

Badges are progress milestones for the way you explore, like visiting places, saving stops, or using certain features. Trips let you group stops into a plan so you can organize a route and keep track of what you want to visit next.

Still Need Help?

Reach out if you need support or want to report something.

For account questions, app support, or marker feedback, head to the support page and send us a note.

Go to Support View Privacy Policy

Questions road-trippers ask before they hit the road.