There’s nothing “Johnny come lately” about east Volusia County. Folks have been moving here, living here and dying here for hundreds of years.
The Halifax area has some wonderfully worn Spanish moss-draped cemeteries as a result. If you’ve ever felt disconnected from your community, a Sunday stroll through one of these deep-rooted resting places might prove helpful.
“Historic Daytona Beach,” published by the Junior League of Daytona Beach in 1986, provides us with the following:
“Pinewood Cemetery, also called Peninsula Cemetery, is one of the oldest burial grounds in the Daytona Beach area. While driving through it, the names of many of Daytona’s earliest settlers, including Burgoyne, Jackson, Day and Maley, can be seen. It is located on property purchased in 1873 by John W. Smith, a settler from Canada. He originally advertised the land as cemetery lots in 1883, but it was not used until 1887 when, ironically, the first person to be buried there was his own 19-year-old daughter.
“In the early 1900s, the cemetery was taken over by Charles Bingham and Jerome Maley who owned a furniture/undertaking establishment. They formed the original Pinewood Cemetery Corporation. It was at this time that the coquina walls and archways were built. In 1917, a lot cost $50. All the lots were sold more than 20 years ago (as of 1986), and today, it is difficult to determine who owns the remaining empty lots.
“The Pinewood Cemetery Corporation had a maintenance fund until the Depression when the Merchant’s Bank failed, and the money was lost. Because it is a private burial ground, both the city and the county refuse to assume the cost of its upkeep. However, in 1979, Albert Kingston, who is buried in Pinewood, left money in trust for the cemetery’s maintenance.”
Do you know more? I’m always interested in your stories!
Day trip: Pinewood Cemetery on Main Street in Daytona Beach across from the Boot Hill Saloon. Say hello to the Burgoynes for me, then go to the Halifax Historical Museum (the former Merchant’s Bank) to learn about this important family.
We are grateful for permission to use this article to our wonderful friend
Marian Tomblin, historical columnist and author. For more information on
Marian. Tomblin’s books or to have her speak at your next meeting, contact her at www.MarianSTomblin.com or at (386) 615-0493.
You will find Marian’s books, as well as other books of local interest, or, just a wonderful read at the beach at
The Book Store and So Much More! 410 S. Nova Road / Suite 1, Ormond Beach (386) 615-8320
Visited the cemetery during Bike Week 2011, couldn’t help but notice, a cement boot up on the hill across from the Boot Hill Saloon. Is that how the saloon came into it’s name? Or did someone place the boot up on the hill in the cemetery just to cause a stir?
Does the Pinewood Cemetery still sell T-Shirts I’m no longer able to get there during Bike Weeks or Bike October feast Where can I purchase one?
Very interested in purchasing 2 plots at Pinewood Cemetery.
Any one have any information?
My Great Grandfather was RL Smith and a Daytona Realtor. John W. Smith was one of his / my ancestors (not sure how many greats that is) and the family story was that he donated the land where Boot Hill is for a church to be built. My Grand mother, Ardelia (RL Smith’s daughter) Mize died in the early 1990’s. I remember she had to retain an attorney because either county or city tried to return the Pinewood Cemetery to her as a last living heir apparently to force her to maintain the cemetery.
I have no proof of any of this only family lore growing up summers in DB with my grand parents.
The church that was built on the site where the Boot Hill Saloon now stands was Community Methodist Church, which now exists in a successor building at 616 Harvey Avenue a few blocks to the southeast of the original site. As far as I know, Community Methodist still has a photo of the original church from an Easter service in the early 1900’s.