BEACHES
VeroBeach100.org City of Vero Beach 1919-2019 85
visitors that Waldo’s wife, Elsebeth, put
a for rent sign in the window and the
Driftwood Inn was in business. A second
wing was added in 1937 expanding the
property to 14 rooms. Through the years
Waldo continued to expand the inn with
additional buildings built from old barns,
demolished house and salvaged wood.
The Sexton family sold the property to
timeshare developers in 1979 and they
took great pride in maintaining the charm
and character of the original Driftwood
Inn. It remains a gem of Vero Beach.
In 1941, Waldo constructed a restaurant
out of his signature cypress, mahogany
and salvaged wood on a high sand dune
on the Atlantic Ocean, across the plaza
from the Beachland Casino. The original
dining room was an open-air patio
with a terrazzo floor and for a week or so
customers dined under the stars. A roof
was added very quickly however, when
uninvited sandflies drove customers
away. When World War II broke out, Waldo >>
SEXTON COLLECTION, ARCHIVE CENTER, IRC MAIN LIBRARY
Waldo Sexton’s Driftwood Inn started out as a weekend retreat for his family but later grew to one of Vero
Beach’s signature hotels. The Driftwood was built with reclaimed lumber and it was Sexton’s intention to
make it appear as if it had washed ashore on the beach. Greatly expanded, the Driftwood Inn still stands.
FLORIDA PHOTOGRAPHNIC COLLECTION
Guests walk along the deck of the Driftwood Inn.
The Ocean Grill
is another Waldo
Sexton oeuvre that
still stands today.
The building remains
in ownership of his
descendants.
INDIAN RIVER MAGAZINE
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