Child Grave Mystery Dress-Up - Topeka, Ks.
Posted by: 
iconions
N 39° 02.223 W 095° 44.268
15S E 263033 N 4324455
This headstone to Carrie Kiene is located near the southeastern portion of the Mt. Hope Cemetery - 4700 SW 17th Street in Topeka, Ks.
Waymark Code: WMW4Y6
Location: Kansas, United States
Date Posted: 07/10/2017
Views: 2
The headstone to Carrie Kiene is marble with a statue a little girl sitting on a rock, looking down. The statue is barefoot, wearing a mid calf dress. What makes this a roadside attraction is the fact that, since 1985, the statue has been decorated with sunbonnets in the summer and blankets and hats in the winter.
From Roadside America - (
visit link) :
"In the South Memorial 1 Section (first road on the right after entering the main gate) is the grave of 5 year old (1880-85) Carrie Frances Kiene.
According to the people who work there, for the past 20 years, someone unknown and unseen has dressed the marble portrait of the child in various seasonally appropriate clothing. In the summer she has on a sun hat and now in December she has a warm blanket and hat to protect her from the snow. The statue receives a change of clothes 3 to 4 times a year. A fitting tribute to a child who died so young."
Text of the headstone:
Carrie Frances
Daughter of
F.A. & R.S. Keane
Feb. 10, 1880
Feb. 24, 1885
I cannot return to you
but you can come to me.
Kiene