Shawn Murphy was only a month into his retirement as a journalism professor when he made his first “Tom Petty pilgrimage” to Gainesville this past January.
Not owning a smartphone, Murphy, 58, spent his time exploring the city using a paper map he acquired by contacting the Greater Gainesville Chamber of Commerce and tracing down a list of places related to the late singer.
He then took his list, which expanded over the course of a few other “Petty pilgrimages,” and built a website for other Petty fans to enjoy. Since then, Murphy’s “ Tom Petty Trail ” website has brought him closer to an online community of fans and historians.
From the singer’s childhood home to site references in his songs, the collection of places included on Murphy’s website aims to help Tom Petty followers — from casual listeners to megafans — trace the life and career of the iconic Gainesville native.
Creating the website blended Murphy’s passions for research, history, travel and music. Digging through his collection of Petty-focused books, old newspapers, property records, marriage and death certificates, Murphy has collected over 113 Florida sites for his website so far — and his research continues.