Jerry Johnson Pavilion Hall

The Jerry Johnson Pavilion Hall contains a unique set of historical artifacts. Unfortunately, from a plane crash that Ricky Nelson and his band was on. American pop singer Ricky Nelson died during the crash-landing of his band's aircraft on December 31, 1985. The plane, a Douglas DC-3, was brought down mid-flight outside De Kalb, Texas, by a fire that rapidly spread from a suspected faulty in-cabin heater. Nelson and six others—including several band members and his girlfriend—were killed in the accident. Both pilots survived.

A personal visit to our Pavilion will provide that special sense of being there. Pictures are great, but they are only one dimension and provide no real understanding of our DeKalb history.