National Register of Historic Places

Surf Ballroom

Clear Lake, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa
Listed
September 5, 2011
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
10000261

About this property

The Surf Ballroom (also called the Surf) is a Historic Rock and Roll Landmark at 460 North Shore Drive, Clear Lake, Iowa, United States. The Surf is closely associated with the event known colloquially as "The Day the Music Died" – early rock and roll stars Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J. P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson gave their last performances at the Surf on February 2, 1959, as part of the "Winter Dance Party Tour". On September 6, 2011, The Surf Ballroom was added to the National Register of Historic Places. In 2021, it was named a National Historic Landmark.

Location

460 N Shore Dr
Clear Lake, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa
43.14180, -93.38995

Categories

ARCHITECTUREENTERTAINMENT/RECREATION
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Native Heritage
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Settlement
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Nearby Historic Sites

Rogers-Knutson House
Industrial
0.3 mi
Etzel, John L., House
Industrial
0.5 mi
Clear Lake Lake Wall
Industrial
0.5 mi
Elks-Rogers Hotel
Industrial
0.6 mi
Cannon, Amaziah and Cornelia (Wait), House
Civil War
6.8 mi

Questions about this property

When was Surf Ballroom listed on the National Register?

Surf Ballroom was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 5, 2011.

What type of historic resource is Surf Ballroom?

Surf Ballroom is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Surf Ballroom?

The period of significance for Surf Ballroom is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Surf Ballroom?

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