I cold-called Wes, the co-founder of the ExploreHere app.

Ok, so it was an email, not a phone call. The point: I found his ExploreHere app while searching the app store. My goal: anything to help me ensure I grab every bit of history possible near home or on the road.

Downloading it was life-changing for this history-lover!

• Do you ever pass an historical marker and think- what was that? But you're going 50 miles an hour and not turning back.
• Do you ever wonder about what Native land you might be on?
• Do you ever visit a place or hear about a person or event in history and want to know more about that place, person, or event?

All of this describes me. I fell in love with the app and KNEW my readers, all of you out there fascinated by American history, would also love it. Wes and I got on a phone call (because he responded fast!).

He and his partner Jase hadn't set up an affiliate program yet... but we knew the partnership was a must. The rest, as they say, is history.

Today, I'm sharing Wes and his story (it's fascinating in itself) through an interview.

Necessary disclaimer: As a blogger, I use affiliate links sometimes! I may receive commission from purchases I share; it does not change your price but sometimes you might get a discount.

Partnership between ExploreHere and this blog.

The bio:

Wes is the founder of ExploreHere, an adventure app that helps travelers connect with the stories, history, and culture of the places they pass through.

After earning a Computer Science degree and hitting the road full-time in a Jeep with his wife, Wes realized how much fascinating history was hiding just out of sight.

What began as a personal project has grown into a platform with over 200,000 markers and features all designed to make road trips more meaningful and immersive.

Wes and his wife in Cumberland Gap, Tennessee

Question 1: Tell us about choosing your career path and landing in your role as the founder of ExploreHere.

I studied Computer Science in college because I wanted a flexible career, something that wouldn’t tie me to an office or a single location. Software development gave me the freedom to live and work from anywhere.

After my wife and I got married, we moved into a Jeep Wrangler with a pop-up top full-time. We spent months visiting national parks, stopping often at historical markers and interpretive signs to better understand the places we passed through.

I built ExploreHere to make sure I never missed out on a piece of fascinating history or a hidden gem again.

At first, the app was just for me, but once I released it publicly, people really connected with it. It’s grown a lot since then, and today my co-founder Jase and I continue building ExploreHere to help others connect more deeply with the places they travel through.

The Vances' pop-up top Jeep Wrangler, Whitehorse Yukon, Canada

Question 2: Tell us about your mission and the “why” behind creating ExploreHere.

So often when we travel, we often don’t really thinking about where we are or the history and culture that shaped the place.

ExploreHere was created to change that. To help people connect with the stories, histories, and cultures of the places they pass through.

That's our simple mission: to help people connect with the culture of the places they travel through. When you understand the land and its stories, you form a deeper connection to it.

You care more. You become a better steward of that place and its history. At its core, ExploreHere is about becoming a more mindful, informed traveler.

RELATED: Click here to open a new tab and see three ways I utilize the app.

Question 3: How has the app evolved since you first came up with the idea and launched it?

The first version of ExploreHere was pretty simple, it showed historical markers on a map. That core idea still exists today, but we’ve come a long way.

Now the app includes:

• background notifications
• accessibility-friendly audio versions of markers, and
• we’re developing a hands-free driving mode

We’ve also cultivated a community of contributors who submit and share markers, helping expand the content far beyond what I could’ve imagined early on.

The app has grown from being just a "dictionary of markers" to something more interactive. You can now save markers, get background notifications about new markers you’ve passed and engage with content in a way that’s more immersive.

Our goal is to help users not just reference history but really connect with it.

RELATED: Click here to join ExploreHere app's Facebook community.

My profile screenshot on the Pro Version of the ExploreHere app.

Question 4: When we met—via email and then over the phone—what drew you into the value of our partnership?

What struck me immediately when I read your blog was how aligned our missions are. We both want to help people connect more deeply with the places they travel through.

There’s so much more to a place than what you see on the surface; its history, its culture, its people.

ExploreHere helps travelers discover these stories in the wild, and your blog dives deeper into them. That’s why this partnership made so much sense. Someone might discover a place through ExploreHere, and then your blog can guide them further into its historical and cultural significance.

Together, we’re helping people go beyond the surface.

RELATED: Read about the collaboration in this blog post about my two partnerships.

Gowan Pamphlet Historical Marker, Williamsburg, Virginia

Question 5: Tell us two or three features of the app and what “a-ha” moments or “easy-buttons” they offer users.

One of the biggest "a-ha" moments for new users is that ExploreHere is completely free to use. Right from the start, you get access to over 200,000 historical markers across the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and beyond. Making history accessible is important to us.

If you're looking for a deeper experience, the Pro version offers features like real-time travel notifications that alert you when you're passing a marker, hands-free driving mode, and high-quality audio versions of markers. It’s perfect for road trips when you want to stay engaged without staring at your screen.

Driving mode, for example, shows you the top nearby markers as you move, so you can glance at your phone and decide if you want to explore further. It helps you stay present and discover stories organically as you go.

On the map page, press and hold the location arrow in the top right corner to engage driving mode!

Driving mode on my app

Question 6: Who is the Pro version created for?

The Pro version is perfect for people who love stopping at historical markers or want to make sure they never miss one on a road trip.

If you enjoy reading those signs or learning about history while you travel, Pro is a no-brainer.

It (Pro):

• lets you listen to markers on the go
• notifies you when you pass new ones, and
• lets you revisit everything you encountered at the end of the day

It’s also great for travelers heading off-grid into national parks or remote areas.

Offline mode makes sure you’re still connected to the stories, even when your signal drops.

Download the app by clicking here (select the Pro version!).

The Vances at Lassen Volcanic National Park, California

Question 7: If there’s one piece of knowledge or advice you’d like readers to walk away with about preserving and understanding history, what would it be?

People often travel for the "big” destinations; San Francisco, Yellowstone, the Smithsonian. These places are incredible, and well documented. But there’s so much more to discover in the spaces in between.

ExploreHere helps you connect with those overlooked stories, like Billy the Kid’s grave in New Mexico or a small-town marker explaining a forgotten event.

These local histories enrich your journey and bring depth to places that might otherwise be seen as mere pit stops.

Beyond markers and museums, understanding which Native land you’re on is a crucial part of connecting with a place. It helps you appreciate the origin of local traditions, language, and even food, like learning the story behind New Mexico’s red and green chiles.

Everything is connected. The more you understand, the more meaningful your travels become.

Wes at Harding Icefield, Seward, Alaska

Closing words from history.

Historical markers can lead to diving into history you may not have heard about, just like Wes mentions above!

I found this historical marker (photo below excerpt) near another I drove to using the app. Then I found this letter to Jefferson discussing political candidates. And learned a little about General Cocke.

Read the letter in full, with citations and notes, by clicking here. And note, I've broken long paragraphs down for ease of reading.

Joseph C. Cabell to Thomas Jefferson, 15 March 1818

...(letter continues)...

I wrote to Gen l Cocke pressing him to come forward, & urging him to endeavor to prevail on Washington Trueheart of Louisa, and Randolph Harrison to offer for their respective counties.

As I passed by Bremo three days ago, I found Gen l Cocke just returned from M r Harrison’s, where he left him recovering from a dreadful wound in the abdomen he had received by a fall. M r H. sent me word that the people of his county had long been urging him to offer for the county, and as he had refused to do so, he did not believe he could now be elected were he to come forward. But Gen l Cocke thinks otherwise:

...(letter continues)...

Probably no one living has as much influence with Mr Carey & Mr Harrison as you have. The Crisis is great & extraordinary means are necessary to accomplish the great object in view. I take the liberty to suggest to you the idea of your writing immediately to those gentlemen by special messenger.

Mr Eppes could awake his friends to the support of Mr Harrison. Perhaps you may not approve this suggestion.

...(letter continues)...

faithfully yours

Joseph C. Cabell

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There is a huge practical disclaimer to the content on this blog, which is my way of sharing my excitement and basically journaling online.

1) I am not a historian nor an expert. I will let you know I’m relaying the information as I understand and interpret it. The employees of Colonial Williamsburg base their presentations, work, and responses on historical documents and mainly primary sources.

2) I will update for accuracy as history is constant learning. If you have a question about accuracy, please ask me! I will get the answer from the best source I can find.

3) Photo credit to me, Daphne Reznik, for all photos in this post unless otherwise credited! All photos are personal photos taken in public access locations or with specific permission.