surf history
photo tour
   ballroom
   backstage
   surfside 6 cafe
   memorabilia
   hall of fame
   the memorial
   the front
surf ballroom production


 

Restoration completed by
Dean Snyder Construction


 

 

        The Memorial

  American music was changed forever following the Surf's original Winter Dance Party on February 2, 1959. A plane on it's way to another performance crashed five miles north of Clear Lake, killing the pilot and rock-and-roll legends Buddy Holly, J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson, and Ritchie Valens.

Located just outside the main entrance, the memorial to the late rockers commemorates their music, their style, and their unforgettable contribution to the music world.