Waldo Sexton (left) and Arthur McKee posing in their landscape - preserving the "jungle" for years of tourists to come.An important personality in the vitality and growth of Vero Beach was Waldo Sexton. Waldo was born in Shelbyville, IN. He graduated from Purdue University's School of Argiculture in 1911 and obtained a position as a salesman of tilling machines. During a 1941 sales trip to Florida, he decided to stay and work for Indian River Farms Company. By 1917 he was an independent citrus farmer, setting out 10,000 orange trees his first year. The following year he married Elizabeth Martens, and the couple had four children. Waldo became a civic leader and was instrumental in furthering the citrus, cattle, and tourism industries in Indian River County.
In addition to owning several citrus groves, Waldo operated Indian River Products Company, a grove maintenance service; was president of the Oslo Citrus Grower's Association, a co-operative packing house; helped organize the Indian River Citrus League; was one of the first exhibitors of Indian River citrus at the Tampa State Fair; and developed three varieties of avocados, one of which was named "Sexton" by the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture.
In 1924 Waldo established the Vero Beach Dairy, the first dairy in Indian River County. He was a pioneer in crossing the Guinea bull with Brahman cows, attempting to produce an animal that required little in feed and that would withstand Florida's heat and insects. During the depression years he was one of members of the Florida Production Credit Association. This organization made short term loans to farmers to enable them to plant their crops.
Tourism and land development were also important facets of Waldo's accomplishments. He became one of Indian River County's biggest developers and an enthusiatic supporter of Vero Beach. Waldo established the Vero Beach Realty Co. in 1914. In 1923 Waldo was one of the organizers of the Vero Beach Real Estate Board and served as its president for a number of years. He was partner in McKee Sexton Land Company and the Royal Park Company. Waldo selected the vistas for the first nine holes of the Royal Park Golf Course. He also served as president of the Vero National Farm Loan Association, a local group that processed loans for the Langwick Land Company Corporation, owners of a Vero Beach subdivision. He was a partner with Arthur McKee in "McKee's Jungle Garden" and was reportedly tthe "idea man" for the early 1930's tourist attraction. In the late 1930's he opened the Driftwood Inn for guests and in 1947 added a restaurant, now known as "Waldo's". The Driftwood Inn and Restaurant were the keystones which transformed the small ocean-side community of Vero Beach into a tourist mecca. By 1991 the Driftwood Resort was generating well over $2 million annually for the local economy.
Waldo was honored as "one of Indian River County's outstanding citizens" in 1958 with a "Waldo Sexton Day" in Vero Beach. Events of the day included a parade in his honor, an organ concert, a band concert, a free barbecue dinner for 5000 in attendance, a street dance, and a dedication of Sexton Plaza. A more recent recognition of Waldo's contribution to Vero Beach was the presentation by the Indian River Chapter of American Institute of Architects "1992-1993 Ambiance Award" honoring Waldo's Breezeway, Ocean Grill Restaurant, Patio Restaurant, and Turf Club as making Vero Beach what it is today.
No account of Waldo's life lacks an attempt at describing the personality of the man. He has variously been called "one of the most colorful persons that Florida has ever known" an "imaginative entrepreneur", an "outrageous old-time eccentric", and an "irresponsible screw-ball". Not surprisingly, anecdotal stories of spirits and ghosts inhabiting the Driftwood Resort are common local lore. Waldo died in 1967 at the age of 82.
Other buildings in Vero Beach are associated with Waldo Sexton, but they have been altered. The Patio Restaurant, on 21st Street close to the downtown area, was built in the 1930's and was leased as one of the original Howard Johnson's ice cream parlors. Later it was used as a gift shop / fruit stand and as a location of Waldo's real estate office. In 1941 Waldo built the Ocean Grill, at 1050 Sexton Plaza. Waldo also built the Turf Club on 43rd Avenue in the late 1950's. The only other property associated with Waldo that might have National eligibility is McKee's Jungle Gardens, a popular tourist attraction of the 1930's which was closed in the 1970's. Its integrity is currently not known, though tours are available on Saturday mornings. Thus, the Driftwood Inn and Restaurant are the best known, most representative, and least altered examples of Waldo Sexton's Vero Beach enterprises.
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