Stories of Salem: The Girl at the Gate

SPONSORSHIP NOTE: Stories of Salem is made possible through the assistance and resources of the John Hay Center, located at 307 E. Market Street in Salem. Open Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 10 to 5, they are an invaluable source of information for anyone interested in the history of their hometown. Learn more at johnhaycenter.org!

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Around the middle of Crown Hill Cemetery stands one of Salem’s most unique and poignant monuments. It is the stone likeness of a little girl in a flowing nightgown, standing at a gate, her expression frozen in quiet anticipation. For over a century, this monument—known as Waiting at the Gate—has captured the hearts of visitors, drawing them into the tragic yet mysterious story of Caddy Naugle.

"Waiting at the Gate", lovingly adorned over 120 years later with prayer beads, flowers, toys, and coins from various residents of Salem.

Caddy was the youngest daughter of John and Mary Naugle, born in 1897 into a family deeply tied to the craft of stone carving. Her father, John, was a highly skilled stonemason who ran a monument business in Salem, shaping Bedford limestone into gravestones and memorials with expert precision. His sons, following in their father’s footsteps, trained in the trade as well, carving their own intricate designs into the stone pieces scattered around the family’s mill.

But among the blocks of limestone in John Naugle’s workshop was one piece that remained untouched. John had plans for it, though he never said what those plans were. He was saving it for something special.

Caddy was a bright and playful child, the youngest of thirteen siblings. Each evening, her favorite part of the day was waiting by the gate for her father to return home from work. She would swing on the wooden gate, peering down College Avenue, eager to be the first to see him.

But tragedy struck in 1901 when little Caddy suddenly fell ill from membranous croup. At just four years old, she passed away, leaving a void in the Naugle home that could never be filled.

Caddy's obituary from February 8, 1901.

John was devastated. His work suffered, and his once-thriving business fell into decline. Then, something remarkable happened. A monument for Caddy appeared, though how it came to be remains a subject of debate. One version of the story claims that John’s sons secretly took on the task, carving her likeness from the special limestone their father had saved. Wanting to honor their sister without causing their grieving father additional pain, they worked in secret, each contributing their skill to the piece.

The second version of the story, while not quite as believable, is one that has been told and retold in Salem for over a century. It tells of a wandering stone carver who arrived in town shortly after Caddy’s passing and began to work for John. Seeing John’s grief, the mysterious man took up his tools and set to work on a monument unlike any other.

Without any known reference—no sketches, no photographs—the stranger captured Caddy’s likeness in remarkable detail, chiseling her features as though he had known her in life. Day after day, he labored, carving the image of the little girl as she had once been, standing by her gate, waiting for her father.

Then, just as mysteriously as he had arrived, the carver disappeared. He left no name, no record of where he had gone. Some say he was simply a gifted artist passing through. Others believe something more extraordinary—that he was no ordinary man at all, but an angel sent to give the Naugles a final, lasting memory of their lost daughter.

Regardless of who carved it, the monument was placed on Caddy’s grave, where it remains to this day. Over the decades, it has become a beloved landmark in Crown Hill Cemetery, drawing visitors who leave flowers, small toys, and trinkets at its base. Some have even claimed to feel a connection to her when they stood before the statue, looking into the solemn, waiting eyes of the little girl at the gate.

It was said that her sister Nellie, who lived many years beyond Caddy, would often retell the story, and end by paraphrasing Hebrews 13:2. "Never forget Caddy," she would say, "and most important, be wary of strangers, lest you entertain angels."

Caddy's headstone, behind the monument.

More than a century has passed since Caddy Naugle left this world, but her memory will endure for centuries to come. Whether carved by the hands of her brothers or a mysterious traveler, her likeness stands as a testament to love, loss, and the enduring hope of reunion.

A child forever waiting at the gate.