More regions and municipalities are making it easier to access their histories, everything you may need may be sitting in your front pocket. Across the Empire State we have a wealth of history and preservation, especially when it comes to the Underground Railroad. Cayuga County and the city of Auburn are taking it to a whole other level.

It's a rewarding passion for Karen Kuhl, who worked hard on an app for self-guided tours.

"Underground Railroad history in Cayuga County, [and] New York State is very strong and alive," she said."We wanted to find a way to deliver it to our visitors in a way that they can do a self drive and exploration on their own."

It took countless hours to transfer the old paper handouts to the new format, but it has its perks.

"You can constantly update it, right? We have already gotten a couple phone calls like 'hey, can you, update the picture or we would like to change the phone number and such information," said Kuhl.

A quick download and we're off. Stop number one, if you start out at the Heritage Center, is right next door.

"Now we're headed over to the Seward House Museum, which were friends and confidants of Harriet Tubman," said Kuhl of the tour stops.

Like so many stops on the Underground Railroad, it's chock full of history. Spots like these are getting a boost not just from the app launch, but from people traveling more.

"Pre-COVID, as many as 16,000 a year, those numbers were down considerably obviously in 2020," said Seward House Museum education director Jeff Ludwig. "It was a very small fraction of that. In 2021, it was a nice bounce back to where we need."

Taking in the experience within these walls from more than a century ago, it can sometimes be less of a look into the past and more of one into a mirror.

"As race relations, social justice, immigration, causes issues [and] debates that are ongoing today, they don't exist in a vacuum," he added. "Long ago that has no bearing or relevance."

Tour stops like this attract not only visitors, but some of the most passionate for this work, like Kate Grindstaff.

"I love taking people through," said outreach and education coordinator Grindstaff. "We're supposed to keep our tours to around an hour so people don't get worn out, but it's very hard to do because he gets so involved in the stories."

Kuhl is more than excited to see people come out and utilize this new app to explore the rich history further.

"Each location has its own history, its own style, its own story. So we want it to visit the locations but ask more questions," said Kuhl. "And from there you can come up with five different itineraries of more stories and more individuals who can learn about.​"

Making our way back, we reflect on what a simple smart phone app could lead to.

"It's an inspiration," she added. "On the app, you can read a lot about it while you're sitting at home. But what you really need to do is download the app. Check it out. Get your car keys, get in the car and hit the road."

To learn more about the app, and to get started for a tour of your own, click here.