DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – News 6 previously highlighted a neglected chapter of Daytona Beach’s past in June, focusing on a historic cemetery in need of revival. Today, that site is on the brink of a renaissance.
On Sunday, Pinewood Cemetery buzzed with activity as volunteers, heavy machinery, and local enterprises joined forces to breathe new life into this once-overlooked historical landmark.
According to Tom Caffrey of the Historic Pinewood Cemetery Association, the cemetery has long lacked proper care and ownership.
“The cemetery has been in a state of neglect since the collapse of the Merchants Bank during the Great Depression, which makes this restoration effort incredibly significant,” Caffrey remarked.
After enduring years of abandonment, local business owners, landscapers, and community members are rallying to rejuvenate the final resting place.
Volunteer Suzanne Eerkey expressed a personal connection to the restoration efforts.
“My history is that I’ve been here three years, but I was raised here. I’ve seen it grow, and I’ve seen it come back. I want to be part of this cemetery,” Eerkey said. She added that the restoration has been done entirely through donated efforts, saying, “not a dollar was spent here. The only thing that’s been spent is everybody’s time.”
Caffrey said more than 1,700 people have been buried at Pinewood Cemetery since the 1800s, including one of the brothers from the famous “Real McCoy” family of Prohibition-era rum runners.
“We’ve got some of the founders of Daytona here — the first police chief, the first mayor,” Caffrey said.
With the help of volunteers, the recently formed nonprofit hopes to transform the site into a place worth visiting once again. “We cleaned the homeless people out of here. We’re bringing new life to the cemetery,” Caffrey said.
The organization hopes to have the cemetery up and running by the Fourth of July.
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