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    Hancock County Freedom Rock

    5.0 (1 review)

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    Where The Music Died - 2025

    Where The Music Died

    4.9(17 reviews)
    23.2 mi

    This Iowa landmark is one of 4 (that I remember) that requires a drive in the country, while…read moreenjoying the vast stretches of rural beauty. The other 3 are the Estherville Meteorite, the highest point in Iowa (Hawkeye Point at 1670 feet), and the Field of Dreams baseball diamond. 75 years after that fateful plane crash, folks are still coming to the informal shrine to "Where the Music Died". They come to Iowa for reasons they can't even fathom. They turn into the small parking lot, not knowing for sure why they're doing it. We arrived as innocent as children, longing for the past. People will come, Ray. OK, that's from Field of Dreams, but it fits. After a brisk walk of about 1/2 mile starting from the big glasses, what I found was a stainless steel guitar and a set of three stainless steel records marking the exact spot where the plane carrying Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, & JP ''The Big Bopper'' Richardson came to rest following their final concert at the Surf Ballroom in nearby Clear Lake. A second monument was erected on the 50th anniversary of the tragedy honoring their pilot, Roger Peterson. Waylon Jennings was also at the Surf that day, but gave up his seat to Richardson, and took the bus. When Holly learned that Jennings wasn't going to fly, he said in jest, ''Well, I hope your ol' bus freezes up'' and Jennings responded, also in jest, ''Well, I hope your ol' plane crashes''. This would haunt Jennings for the rest of his life. Dad stayed in the car while I completed my lone pilgrimage. The visit was short, the day was cool, and this fan monument was insightful and worth the trip to this lonely stretch where unfortunate history was made. I hope that any person reading this review has a chance to visit here and the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, which is the site of Buddy Holly's last performance.

    Took a detour of the road during my travels today and visited the Buddy Holly Crash Site. Popular…read morespot to stop and view the crazy tragedy that occurred on 2/3/59. The trail head to the crash site (which is located in a corn field) is marked by a large pair of Buddy-Holly type glasses. You can park on the side of the road, and then walk through the corn field on a well-travelled path to the crash site, which has some fan-made memorials there. I placed my sunglasses in the middle of the bridge of Buddy Holly's glasses in the photo attached. True artists and RIP to all that past that day. RIP Highly recommend checking out this spot. Pretty cool to see.

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    Where The Music Died
    Where The Music Died
    Where The Music Died - Memorial at crash site

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    Memorial at crash site

    SPAM Museum - 07.06.25 The Flying Pig

    SPAM Museum

    4.6(219 reviews)
    57.4 mi

    No foolin', I took my family to the Spam Museum on April 1 for a fun day trip to Austin. I feel it…read morehas to be a write a passage as a homegrown Minnesotan to experience the Spam Museum once in your life. This free museum is right in the heart of downtown Austin and offers a fun little escape from cruddy weather outside or just to step into something historically and culturally unique in our world. I mean, a whole museum dedicated to canned meat? Weird! You can tell that a lot of creativity and thoughtful care went into the design and creation of this museum. So many bright and fun exhibits, there is not a corner left untouched. Lots of unique, hands-on opportunities for kids as well as some very cool historical offerings make this a great place for all ages. All of the exhibits are of high quality and very thought out. After your visit, you might just be inspired to stop at the grocery store afterwards and try your hand at "spiced canned ham" or in other words SPAM!

    This is a cool, kitschy road trip-type of stop that is amusing and fun. Plus, it's totally free to…read moreenter, though there is a gift shop packed with branded goods to tempt your pocketbook! The museum is located right in downtown Austin. The lot immediately behind the museum is small but there is abundant other parking around. I didn't notice any meters or paid parking. A stop at the friendly front desk clerk helped us to get the layout. Everything is on the first floor, which is level. Many exhibits are located along wide aisles, though there are some cubbies such as in the international area. The museum guides visitors through the history of Spam, where it is found around the world and what the flavors are (the commercials are delightfully cheesy), and how it is made. World War II is quite a focus in the history section. There are interactive screens placed at an accessible low level for kids and wheelchair users that share quizzes and trivia. As we wandered through, an employee came through with samples speared on pretzel sticks. We got to try smoked Spam and maple Spam. The gift shop was a good final stop. This would be a great place to get a gag or white elephant gift. I collect smashed pennies, and I was happy to find a machine in the gift shop.

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    SPAM Museum - 07.06.25

    07.06.25

    SPAM Museum - 07.06.25

    07.06.25

    SPAM Museum - Another inside photo op

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    Another inside photo op

    Hancock County Freedom Rock - landmarks - Updated May 2026

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