# The Secret of Red Gate Farm > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/The_Secret_of_Red_Gate_Farm > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/The_Secret_of_Red_Gate_Farm.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Secret_of_Red_Gate_Farm > Source revision: 1354703035 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Nancy Drew 6, published 1931 The Secret of Red Gate Farm Original edition cover Author Carolyn Keene Illustrator Russell H. Tandy Language English Series Nancy Drew Mystery Stories Genre Juvenile literature Publisher Grosset & Dunlap Publication date 1931, 1961 Publication place United States Media type Print (hardback & paperback) Pages 188 Preceded by The Secret at Shadow Ranch Followed by The Clue in the Diary - [Children's literature portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Children%27s_literature) - [Novels portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Novels) ***The Secret of Red Gate Farm*** is the sixth volume in the [Nancy Drew Mystery Stories](/source/Nancy_Drew_Mystery_Stories) series, written under the pseudonym [Carolyn Keene](/source/Carolyn_Keene), It was first published in 1931.[1][2] ## Front flyleaf There is no front flyleaf for the 1989 edition of this book, which is the most recent edition. ## Plot summary - 1931 edition Out on a leisurely shopping trip, Nancy, Bess and George encounter an odd [French](/source/French_people)-[Chinese](/source/Han_Chinese) [perfume](/source/Perfume) saleswoman, who is reluctant to sell a particular fragrance to Bess. On a return train trip to River Heights, they ponder her odd behavior and encounter the malnourished Millie (Joanne in the later versions of the book) Byrd, who is on her way to "the city" to seek employment. Millie becomes acquainted with the girls, and when Nancy accompanies her to a job interview, she uncovers a mysterious code in the office. Millie's grandmother, owner of Red Gate Farm, welcomes the trio and Millie to her farm where they plan to vacation as paid [boarders](/source/Boarding_house), and assist with waiting on other boarders. Once on the farm, Nancy uncovers a strange group called The Black Snake Colony—a "nature [cult](/source/Cult)"—who are tenants on an outlying portion of Mrs. Byrd's farm. Accused of passing [counterfeit](/source/Counterfeit) money, Nancy shares details of the odd colony and the codes obtained in the office building with Federal agents. Nancy, Bess, George, and Millie go undercover disguised in the white robes and hoods worn by the cult members, and join them in their cave hideaway. This volume also serves to further develop the Bess and George characters, and their affectionate yet sometimes antagonistic relationship. ## 1961 revision For the 1961 version of the book, the plot elements did not change much. Millie's name is now Joanne. George is bitten by a snake, and one of the federal agents is the son of a boarder at Red Gate Farm. Al Sniggs, gruff right-hand man of Maurice Hale, is now named Al Snead. ## Artwork The original cover art and four illustrations were executed by R.H. Tandy. He updated his own frontispiece to pen and ink in 1943. In 1950, Bill Gillies introduced new art which was prominently featured in promotions and advertisements, as well as on one-half of Rudy Nappi's endpaper design, introduced in 1953. The iconic image is of Nancy spying on a cave from behind a tree. Because the story is nearly the same as the original version, the art was retained when the 1961 revision was introduced. It was never revised again, and remains in print as of 2009. Various editions have come under criticism from adult collectors, mainly because the costumes worn by the Colony members resemble KKK apparel. ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** [*The Secret of Red Gate Farm*](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/28259865) at [WorldCat](/source/WorldCat) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Rehak, Melanie (2006). *Girl Sleuth: Nancy Drew and the Women Who Created Her*. Harcourt. pp. 148–149. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9780156030564](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9780156030564). ## External links - [*The Secret of Red Gate Farm (1931 edition)*](https://fadedpage.com/showbook.php?pid=20201106) at [Faded Page](/source/Distributed_Proofreaders_Canada) (Canada) - [*The Secret of Red Gate Farm (1961 edition)*](https://fadedpage.com/showbook.php?pid=20210539) at [Faded Page](/source/Distributed_Proofreaders_Canada) (Canada) v t e Nancy Drew Stratemeyer Syndicate Carolyn Keene Edward Stratemeyer Characters Nancy Drew George Fayne Ned Nickerson Writers Mildred Benson Walter Karig Harriet Adams Susan Wittig Albert George Edward Stanley James D. Lawrence See also The Hardy Boys Tom Swift TV series The Dana Girls Books Nancy Drew Mystery Stories The Secret of the Old Clock (1930) The Hidden Staircase (1930) The Bungalow Mystery (1930) The Mystery at Lilac Inn (1930) The Secret at Shadow Ranch (1931) The Secret of Red Gate Farm (1931) The Clue in the Diary (1932) Nancy's Mysterious Letter (1932) The Sign of the Twisted Candles (1933) The Password to Larkspur Lane (1933) The Clue of the Broken Locket (1934) The Message in the Hollow Oak (1935) The Mystery of the Ivory Charm (1936) The Whispering Statue (1937) The Haunted Bridge (1937) The Clue of the Tapping Heels (1939) The Mystery of the Brass Bound Trunk (1940) The Mystery at the Moss-Covered Mansion (1941) The Quest of the Missing Map (1942) The Clue in the Jewel Box (1943) The Secret in the Old Attic (1944) The Clue in the Crumbling Wall (1945) The Mystery of the Tolling Bell (1946) The Clue in the Old Album (1947) The Ghost of Blackwood Hall (1948) The Clue of the Leaning Chimney (1949) The Secret of the Wooden Lady (1950) The Clue of the Black Keys (1951) The Mystery at the Ski Jump (1952) The Clue of the Velvet Mask (1953) The Ringmaster's Secret (1953) The Scarlet Slipper Mystery (1954) The Witch Tree Symbol (1955) The Hidden Window Mystery (1956) The Haunted Showboat (1957) The Secret of the Golden Pavilion (1959) The Clue in the Old Stagecoach (1960) The Mystery of the Fire Dragon (1961) The Clue of the Dancing Puppet (1962) The Moonstone Castle Mystery (1963) The Clue of the Whistling Bagpipes (1964) The Phantom of Pine Hill (1965) The Mystery of the 99 Steps (1966) The Clue in the Crossword Cipher (1967) The Spider Sapphire Mystery (1968) The Invisible Intruder (1969) The Mysterious Mannequin (1970) The Crooked Banister (1971) The Secret of Mirror Bay (1972) The Double Jinx Mystery (1973) Mystery of the Glowing Eye (1974) The Secret of the Forgotten City (1975) The Sky Phantom (1976) The Strange Message in the Parchment (1977) Mystery of Crocodile Island (1978) The Thirteenth Pearl (1979) The Triple Hoax (1979) The Flying Saucer Mystery (1980) The Secret in the Old Lace (1980) The Greek Symbol Mystery (1980) The Swami's Ring (1981) The Kachina Doll Mystery (1981) The Twin Dilemma (1981) Captive Witness (1981) Race Against Time (1982) The Broken Anchor (1983) The Mardi Gras Mystery (1988) The Case of the Rising Stars (1988) The Mystery of the Masked Rider (1992) The Treasure in the Royal Tower (1995) The Wedding Day Mystery (1997) The E-mail Mystery (1998) Whispers in the Fog (2000) The Legend of the Emerald Lady (2000) Mystery By Moonlight (2002) The Bike Tour Mystery (2002) The Mistletoe Mystery (2002) No Strings Attached (2003) The Riding Club Crime (2003) Danger on the Great Lakes (2003) Werewolf in a Winter Wonderland (2003) Other series The Nancy Drew Files (1986-97) Nancy Drew Notebooks (1993-2005) Nancy Drew on Campus (1995-98) Nancy Drew: Girl Detective (2004-12) Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew (2006-15) Nancy Drew Diaries (2013-present) Nancy Drew Clue Book (2015-present) Hardy Boys crossovers Be a Detective Mystery Stories (1984-85) Nancy Drew & Hardy Boys Supermystery (1988-98) Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys Super Mystery (2007-12) Other media Video games Secrets Can Kill (1998) (Remastered, 2010) Stay Tuned for Danger (1999) Message in a Haunted Mansion (2000) Treasure in the Royal Tower (2001) The Final Scene (2001) Secret of the Scarlet Hand (2002) Ghost Dogs of Moon Lake (2002) The Haunted Carousel (2003) Danger on Deception Island (2003) The Secret of Shadow Ranch (2004) Curse of Blackmoor Manor (2004) Secret of the Old Clock (2005) Last Train to Blue Moon Canyon (2005) Danger by Design (2006) The Creature of Kapu Cave (2006) The White Wolf of Icicle Creek (2007) Legend of the Crystal Skull (2007) The Phantom of Venice (2008) The Haunting of Castle Malloy (2008) Dossier: Lights, Camera, Curses (2008) Ransom of the Seven Ships (2009) Dossier: Resorting to Danger (2009) Warnings at Waverly Academy (2009) Trail of the Twister (2010) Shadow at the Water's Edge (2010) The Captive Curse (2011) Alibi in Ashes (2011) Tomb of the Lost Queen (2012) The Deadly Device (2012) Ghost of Thornton Hall (2013) The Silent Spy (2013) The Shattered Medallion (2014) Labyrinth of Lies (2014) Sea of Darkness (2015) Midnight in Salem (2019) Mystery of the Seven Keys (2024) Film and television Nancy Drew: Detective (1938 film) Nancy Drew: Reporter (1939 film) Nancy Drew: Trouble Shooter (1939 film) Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase (1939 film) The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries (1977 TV series) Nancy Drew (1995 TV series) Nancy Drew (2002 TV movie) Nancy Drew (2007 film) Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase (2019 film) Nancy Drew (2019 TV series) --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [The Secret of Red Gate Farm](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Secret_of_Red_Gate_Farm) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Secret_of_Red_Gate_Farm?action=history)). 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