Where it happened
The Petty map
Every city in our show archive, 326 of them, plus the public places that matter to the story: Gainesville landmarks, the studios, murals, memorials and the streets in the songs. Tap a dot for the details. Only public places are mapped, never anyone's home.
Concert dots are sized by how many shows we have there and placed at the city, not the building. Click the map to zoom with your scroll wheel.
Gainesville
Gainesville High School Gainesville, FL
Tom attended GHS for 10th through 12th grade and graduated with the class of 1968. Schoolmate Harry Green inspired the later Petty song of that name, and a 2025 "Be the Change" mural on campus pairs Tom with three of the students who integrated the school in 1964.
Still operating public high school; the mural is on school grounds and visitors must check in at the front office.
Sources: Wikipedia: Tom Petty · Tom Petty Trail: Teen+ Years · Tom Petty Trail: Tributes & Troves · Tom Petty Trail: Lyrical Threads Vol. 3
Howard W. Bishop Middle School Gainesville, FL
Tom's junior high school. It was around this time that he joined his first band, the Sundowners, and the school is named on the Florida historical marker as part of his story.
Still operating public middle school; view from the street.
Sources: Wikipedia: Tom Petty · Tom Petty Trail: Childhood Years · Florida Historical Marker Details: Tom Petty, Rock Musician
Lipham Music (former site, Gainesville Shopping Center) Gainesville, FL
Gainesville's big rock-era music store, open from 1954 until April 2014. The state marker says Tom picked up guitar here from friends and from future Eagle Don Felder, and the owner said Tom worked at the store in 1967; it was also a place where local players met future bandmates.
Now closed; the storefront in the Gainesville Shopping Center has changed hands.
Sources: WUFT: Music store closing its doors after 60 years (2014) · Florida Historical Marker Details: Tom Petty, Rock Musician · Tom Petty Trail: Teen+ Years
Cade Museum for Creativity and Invention Gainesville, FL
The museum hosted "Tom Petty: Among the Wildflowers" in 2024, an exhibit on the making of the 1994 album that included items loaned by the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and has hosted other Petty exhibits.
Still operating museum at the edge of Depot Park; check for current exhibits.
Sources: Cade Museum: Top 10 Tom Petty things to do in Gainesville · Tom Petty Trail: Tributes & Troves
Plaza of the Americas, University of Florida Gainesville, FL
Tom never enrolled at UF but worked briefly on the campus grounds crew, mowing lawns like this central quad. Mudcrutch and other local bands also played free shows on the plaza, including a 1970 Earth Day concert.
Public campus quad between Library West, Peabody Hall and the University Auditorium.
Sources: Wikipedia: Tom Petty · Wikipedia: Plaza of the Americas (Gainesville, Florida) · Tom Petty Trail: UF Early Years
Lake Alice, University of Florida Gainesville, FL
As a 16-year-old Tom reportedly drove a car into this campus lake, and later he worked the grounds crew around it. The field beside it, Lake Alice Field, is also on local Petty tours.
Public campus lake and wildlife area.
Sources: Tom Petty Trail: UF Early Years · Tom Petty Trail: UF Later Years
Regal Royal Park Gainesville, FL
Gainesville's premiere of Peter Bogdanovich's documentary Runnin' Down a Dream was held here in October 2007; it was the only city to get two premiere nights, and both sold out.
Still operating movie theater.
Sources: Tom Petty Trail: Tributes & Troves
Studios
Sound City Studios Van Nuys, CA
Tom and the band made Damn the Torpedoes here with Jimmy Iovine in 1979 and returned for Hard Promises, Southern Accents, Wildflowers and the She's the One soundtrack. Tom appears in Dave Grohl's 2013 documentary about the studio.
Still a working recording studio; not open to the public.
Sources: Wikipedia: Sound City Studios · Sound City official site · LA Weekly, January 17, 2008 (The Petty Archives)
Shelter Records studio (Hollywood Boulevard, approximate) Los Angeles, CA
Shelter's Hollywood office was the band's hangout and the place Tom studied record-making under Denny Cordell; the studio next door, still half-built at the time, is where the first Heartbreakers album was cut in 1976. Shelter put the band up at the Winona motel across the street.
Approximate location on Hollywood Boulevard in East Hollywood; the label is long gone and no marker exists.
Sources: LA Weekly, January 17, 2008 (The Petty Archives) · Wikipedia: Tom Petty
Village Recorder Los Angeles, CA
Benmont Tench was rehearsing a group of musicians here when Tom came by and joined in, the session that turned into the Heartbreakers in 1976.
Still a working recording studio in West Los Angeles; not open to the public.
Sunset Sound Los Angeles, CA
Backing vocals for "Don't Come Around Here No More," the Dave Stewart co-write from Southern Accents, were recorded at this Hollywood studio.
Still a working recording studio; not open to the public.
Cello Studios building Los Angeles, CA
Parts of The Last DJ (2002) were recorded at Cello Studios at this Sunset Boulevard address.
Studio building; not open to the public.
The Church Studio Tulsa, OK
Leon Russell turned this 1915 church into a studio and Shelter Records base in 1972. Mudcrutch recorded here in 1974 after signing with Shelter, cutting songs including the first version of "Don't Do Me Like That."
Still operating as a studio, venue and museum with tours; listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Sources: Wikipedia: The Church Studio · The Church Studio: Tom Petty's journey at The Church Studio
Murals
34th Street Wall Tom Petty mural Gainesville, FL
Within hours of Tom's death in October 2017, a tribute panel calling him Gainesville's number-one son appeared on this long, constantly repainted graffiti wall beside a UF golf course. Local artist Blake Harrison kept restoring it for years until his own death in 2024; after it was painted over in February 2026, artist Harry Michael and fans recreated it.
Public roadside wall on the west side of SW 34th Street; panels change often, so the mural may look different from photos.
Sources: Wikipedia: 34th Street Wall · WCJB: Tom Petty muralist dies after battle with cancer · WUFT: Photo gallery, Tom Petty 34th Street wall mural (2026) · Cade Museum: Top 10 Tom Petty things to do in Gainesville
"And the world got still" mural Gainesville, FL
A second Petty tribute by Blake Harrison, the artist who looked after the 34th Street Wall panel. It is painted on the south side of a building at South Main Street and SW 16th Avenue.
Mural on the south wall of the building at S Main St and SW 16th Ave; parking is tight, use the crosswalks.
Sources: Tom Petty Trail: Tributes & Troves · Cade Museum: Top 10 Tom Petty things to do in Gainesville
Heartwood Soundstage "Tom Petty in Wonderland" mural and Tom Petty Alley Gainesville, FL
Artist Andrew Spear painted Tom in the Mad Hatter top hat from the 1985 "Don't Come Around Here No More" video, on a wall facing Heartwood Soundstage, the venue that hosts the yearly Tom Petty Weekend concerts. A tribute street sign at SE 6th Avenue and SE 1st Street marks the dirt lane fans call Tom Petty Alley, which leads to the mural.
Mural on the west end of a building facing Heartwood Soundstage; alley sign on a pole at SE 6th Ave and SE 1st St.
Sources: Tom Petty Trail: Tributes & Troves · Cade Museum: Top 10 Tom Petty things to do in Gainesville
Sidney Lanier School mural Gainesville, FL
Sidney Lanier was Tom's first school. Jesus and Carrie Martinez (VisionaryFAM) painted a mural of him playing guitar in front of a burst of sunlight on the east end of one of its buildings.
The school now serves children with special needs; view the mural only from the public sidewalk on NW 2nd Street, do not enter the grounds.
Sources: Tom Petty Trail: Tributes & Troves · Tom Petty Trail: Childhood Years · Cade Museum: Top 10 Tom Petty things to do in Gainesville
"Runnin' Down a Dream" parking garage mural Gainesville, FL
A Petty-themed piece installed in 2018 as part of a downtown urban revitalization art project, on the street level of the city's Southwest Downtown Parking Garage.
Ground floor of the Southwest Downtown Parking Garage, downtown Gainesville.
Sources: Tom Petty Trail: Tributes & Troves
Memorials & markers
Tom Petty Park Gainesville, FL
The old Northeast Park, a few blocks from where Tom grew up, was where he spent much of his childhood. Gainesville renamed it Tom Petty Park at a dedication on October 20, 2018, which would have been his 68th birthday.
Public city park, open dawn to dusk; ball fields, courts, trails, playground and a dog park.
Sources: City of Gainesville: Tom Petty Park · Ultimate Classic Rock: Tom Petty hometown park dedication · WCJB: Northeast Park to be renamed after Tom Petty
Tom Petty, Rock Musician (Florida historical marker) Gainesville, FL
An official Florida historical marker, sponsored by the Gainesville Music History Foundation, that traces Tom's life from his Gainesville childhood and early bands through the Heartbreakers, the Wilburys and his fights for artists' rights. It was dedicated on October 13, 2024, with Mayor Harvey Ward accepting it for the city.
Marker on the south side of Tom Petty Park, at NE 13th Avenue and NE 5th Terrace.
Sources: Florida Historical Marker Details: Tom Petty, Rock Musician (2024) · UF HR calendar: Dedication ceremony for the Tom Petty state historic marker · Tom Petty Trail: Childhood Years
Hollywood Walk of Fame star Los Angeles, CA
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers received a star for recording on April 28, 1999, reported as the 2,133rd star on the Walk.
Star set in the public sidewalk on Hollywood Boulevard.
Sources: Wikipedia: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers · Wikipedia: Tom Petty
Places in the songs
Lillian's Music Store Gainesville, FL
Opened as a music store in 1933, where young Tom and his friend Keith Harben bought guitar strings; Tom later named it in the song "Dreamville" on The Last DJ. It became a bar in 1974 and kept the old name and sign.
Still operating, now as a bar under the original name and sign.
Sources: Tom Petty Trail: Lyrical Threads Vol. 1 · Tom Petty Trail: Dreamville Ghosts · Cade Museum: Top 10 Tom Petty things to do in Gainesville
U.S. 441 (NW 13th Street) Gainesville, FL
"American Girl" mentions U.S. Highway 441, which runs through Gainesville as NW 13th Street, the same road that Dub's Steer Room and other early Mudcrutch haunts stood on.
Public highway; the point marks a general stretch of NW 13th Street in north Gainesville.
Cypress Lounge (now Munegin's on 13th) Gainesville, FL
A bar where Mudcrutch played in the early 1970s. Tom's spoken introduction to "Spike" in concert named the Cypress Lounge as the kind of rough Gainesville bar the song comes from.
Still a bar, now operating as Munegin's on 13th.
Depot Park and Depot Avenue Gainesville, FL
The old railroad depot district along Depot Avenue is the likely namesake of "Depot Street," Mudcrutch's only single, released on Shelter in 1975. The former rail yard is now a public park beside the Cade Museum and has hosted Petty tribute concerts.
Public park with the restored train depot.
Sources: Tom Petty Trail: Lyrical Threads Vol. 1 · Cade Museum: Top 10 Tom Petty things to do in Gainesville · Wikipedia: Tom Petty
Micanopy Micanopy, FL
This small historic town south of Gainesville, known for its antique shops, is one of two nearby towns named in "A Mind With a Heart of Its Own" on Full Moon Fever. Tom and Jane Petty shopped for antiques here.
Public town; historic downtown district.
Sources: Wikipedia: Micanopy, Florida · Tom Petty Trail: Lyrical Threads Vol. 1
Brooker Brooker, FL
A tiny town north of Gainesville that Tom name-checks alongside Micanopy in "A Mind With a Heart of Its Own."
Public town.
Sources: Tom Petty Trail: Lyrical Threads Vol. 1 · Wikipedia: Brooker, Florida
Reseda Los Angeles, CA
The San Fernando Valley suburb named in "Free Fallin'"; the song's video also portrays suburban family life in the Valley.
Public neighborhood; the point marks the general area only.
Sources: LA Weekly, January 17, 2008 (The Petty Archives) · Wikipedia: Reseda, Los Angeles
Ventura Boulevard Los Angeles, CA
The long San Fernando Valley commercial strip that "Free Fallin'" uses as a picture of Valley suburbia.
Public street; the point marks a general stretch in Sherman Oaks.
Mulholland Drive Los Angeles, CA
The ridge-top road that also turns up in "Free Fallin'," and the video shoot built a skateboard ramp along it between Laurel Canyon and Outpost.
Public road; the point marks the Laurel Canyon area of Mulholland generally.
Landmarks
Ben Hill Griffin Stadium ("The Swamp") Gainesville, FL
Starting with the LSU game on October 7, 2017, days after Tom died, Gator fans have sung along to "I Won't Back Down" between the third and fourth quarters of every home game. Since 2022 UF has also held an annual Tom Petty Day at a home game.
Still operating UF football stadium; the song plays at every home game.
Sources: CBS Sports: Florida fans rock out to Tom Petty during I Won't Back Down tribute · Wikipedia: Tom Petty · Wikipedia: Ben Hill Griffin Stadium · Cade Museum: Top 10 Tom Petty things to do in Gainesville
Elvis in Ocala filming site Ocala, FL
In the summer of 1961, 10-year-old Tom's uncle was working on the Elvis Presley film Follow That Dream in downtown Ocala and took him to the set, where he met Elvis; Tom said it set him on the road to music. In December 2025 the Ocala City Council approved an "Elvis in Ocala, Tom Petty Inspired" landmark marker near the former bank where scenes were filmed.
Downtown street corner on East Silver Springs Boulevard near Osceola Avenue; the marker was approved but not yet installed as of the last report.
Sources: Wikipedia: Tom Petty · Ocala Gazette: historic marker approval · 352today: Elvis in Ocala, Tom Petty Inspired marker
Freeway Cafe (former Ranch House Restaurant) Tulsa, OK
Across the street from the Church Studio, this diner (then the Ranch House) is where Denny Cordell met the members of Mudcrutch in 1974 as they weighed Shelter against London Records; they chose Shelter.
Still operating as a cafe.
Sources: The Church Studio: Tom Petty's journey at The Church Studio · Get Your Eats on Route 66: Freeway Cafe
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Cleveland, OH
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers were inducted in 2002, their first year of eligibility, with Jakob Dylan giving the induction. The museum has loaned Petty artifacts to exhibits such as the Cade Museum's 2024 Wildflowers show.
Still operating museum.
Sources: Rock & Roll Hall of Fame: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers · Wikipedia: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Where they played most
- Los Angeles, CA57 shows
- New York, NY49 shows
- San Francisco, CA43 shows
- Philadelphia, PA24 shows
- Chicago, IL22 shows
- London, England20 shows
- Morrison, CO20 shows
- Atlanta, GA18 shows
- Milwaukee, WI17 shows
- Mansfield, MA17 shows
- Dallas, TX16 shows
- Clarkston, MI15 shows
- Tampa, FL14 shows
- Austin, TX14 shows
- Berkeley, CA14 shows
- Mountain View, CA14 shows
- Boston, MA13 shows
- Saratoga Springs, NY13 shows
- San Diego, CA12 shows
- George, WA12 shows
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Know a mural, marker or memorial we're missing? Tell us. Please respect private property and neighborhoods when you visit.