PBSCV1599
Gen. James Patton Anderson Camp 1599
Celebrating 32 Years 1992 - 2024
DELRAY BEACH MEMORIAL GARDENS
700 SW 8th Ave, Delray Beach, FL 33446
Delray Beach Memorial Gardens
The cemetery is located at 700 SW 8th Avenue, Delray Beach, which is at the northwest corner of SW 10th Street and SW 8th Avenue. The City Clerk's office is responsible for plot sale information and maintaining an up-to-date database of cemetery occupants and plot owners. To obtain information, please call (561) 243-7050. Additional information on burial records can also be obtained from the Genealogical Society of Palm Beach County at (561) 832-3279.
A Short History
Written by Marjorie Nelson, Palm Beach
County Genealogical Society, 1998
In 1902, the Ladies Improvement Association of the little town of Linton was given five acres of land by Frederick S. Dewey, agent of Henry M. Flagler's Model Land Company, to be used for a cemetery. A few months later, the Association bought an additional adjoining 2-½ acres and, in September 1903, they incorporated it as Pine Ridge Cemetery. It was located southwest of the settlement between SW Sixth Street on the north, SW Eighth Avenue on the east and SW Seventh Street on the south. Money from the sale of lots was used to maintain the cemetery. A family lot cost $5.00 and a single plot was $1.00.
Linton was incorporated as the town of Delray in 1911. Three years later, the Ladies Improvement Association deeded Pine Ridge Cemetery to the town, which took over the operation and maintenance. Delray grew into a city. From a city council record, circa 1926:
"The beautification of the cemetery being carried out by the city of Delray under the personal supervision of Mr. J. L. Troup is rapidly progressing.
"The City Engineers are now putting in the lot stakes according to the original plat, and although they are finding much difficulty due to the incompletion of the records, and the removal of grave markers, it is expected that all the graves and lots may be relocated without undue difficulty.
"It was noted that a great many of the wooden stakes which have been used in the past to mark the graves have rotted away, and in many instances there is no record either as to the owner or occupant of the grave. A request has been made that all people who own lots, or who have friends or relatives buried in the local cemetery communicate with Mr. Troup and if possible report the exact location of the lot or graves in case the same are not already provided with legible markers. It is also noted that many of the graves are not located on the lots which they are supposed to be, there are many in the streets and out of bound. The city is using every reasonable effort to relocate all graves, and as soon as this is done will re-plat the cemetery, and place the streets in the most convenient and accessible place."
Delray became Delray Beach in 1927 and Pine Ridge Cemetery came to be called Delray Beach Cemetery. Because maintenance by the city was haphazard for a number of years, families had to tend to the upkeep of their own lots. Also, records were incomplete, with the result that many of the earlier burials cannot be located by block and lot number. In 1995, the city greatly expanded the cemetery and changed the name to Delray Beach Memorial Gardens, though the original section is still called Pine Ridge. In addition to the entrances on SW Eighth Avenue, there is now the main entrance on SW Tenth Street. This beautiful cemetery covers 38.7 acres and has a mausoleum.