Reliving and learning at Sexton Homestead History Weekend

The grounds of the 1914 homestead of Vero Beach pioneer Waldo Sexton echoed with stories of bygone days during the second annual Waldo Sexton Homestead History Weekend, hosted by members of the Tripson family, some of Sexton’s descendants.

An event last year as a part of Vero’s centennial celebration was so well received that the Tripson family decided to continue that tradition to highlight the history of the area, which Sexton helped to shape.

“We wanted to open up our house to the public, so people could learn more about him and see what he created for himself,” explained Charlotte Tripson, Sexton’s great-granddaughter.

Sexton quite literally left his mark on Indian River County through the construction of such well-known haunts as McKee Jungle Gardens (today’s McKee Botanical Garden), the Ocean Grill, Driftwood Inn, Patio Restaurant and Szechuan Palace and, gone but not forgotten, Waldo’s Mountain.

The site for the three-day event was the homestead where Waldo and wife Elsebeth raised their family. Now fondly referred to as Waldo’s Secret Garden, it has become a popular wedding spot.

Throughout the weekend, visitors could tour the rustic home which Sexton built piecemeal over the years, with its outdoor kitchen and covered outdoor dining area, native Florida garden and Tripson Dairy, as well as taking an up-close look at the variety of objects he salvaged, many from the ruins of Palm Beach mansions.

The weekend kicked off with an alfresco dinner catered by Marsh Landing under twinkling lights, where guests gathered family-style for an evening of reminiscence led by Indian River County Sheriff’s Office Maj. Eric Flowers and former IRC Commissioner Fran Adams.

In a nod to the historical theme of the event, Flowers shared sheriff lore – from the first record of a sheriff in America in 1635 to the assignment of sheriffs in Florida in 1821, the appointment of female sheriffs as far back as 1938, and the hiring of the first African-American deputy in 1962. He also recounted stories on the wild early days. Of particular interest for the crowd, he told of the end of the Ashley Gang’s reign of terror, which occurred on Roseland Road, right here in Indian River County.

Adams spoke about the importance of preserving our past, as she regaled the crowd with stories from her 40 years as a county resident. Her recollections elicited chuckles from Vero natives, as she imparted remembrances of the Citrus Mafia, horse races at Garcia Ranch, and battling the government to install an artificial reef along the coastline.

More laughs came when Adams related being asked by an Ohio native to rid the county of love bugs, because they were annoying and bad for tourism.

“Give me two weeks,” had been her reply, knowing the pests would be gone on their own by then.

Saturday and Sunday were chockful of additional informative speakers weaving tales of old Florida, including paranormal investigations and Florida myths. Willie Johns, chief justice of the Tribal Courts of the Seminole Tribe, spoke about the history of Florida Seminoles and there was even an interactive presentation of Florida’s early cowboys.

“Waldo always loved people and he loved to do things for people. We live in a wonderful community, and this is an opportunity for us to share some of the history that makes it such a special place,” said Hilde Tripson, wife of Sexton’s grandson, Mark Tripson.

A portion of the weekend’s proceeds were being designated to the Sam R. Tripson Memorial Foundation, which was founded to help families needing emergency financial assistance while dealing with cancer, and to the Busch Wildlife Sanctuary, a privately funded nonprofit dedicated to the protection and conservation of Florida’s wildlife and natural resources.

Photos by: Kaila Jones and Stephanie LaBaff
Click HERE to see more or buy photos

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