Stiffy’s Bar

John g. heinl

John G. Heinl built the building J. Ford’s Black Angus is located in 1902 for his son Fredrick, to continue family flower business. The building has changed hands 5 times and has always housed a florist up until J. Ford’s Black Angus moved their location on 3rd street to this location.

There are two legends that surround the stone figure from John G. Heinl’s mausoleum in Highland Cemetery in Terre Haute. The first, and most interesting, is that Stiffy Green (pictured above) was the beloved pet of John G. Heinl up until his passing in 1920. The second is that it has always been a stature and adorned his family home’s front porch.

The first legend is that the dog was John’s beloved pet who followed him everywhere. Upon Mr. Heinl’s passing, the dog would spend all his time at his mausoleum morning his death. Eventually Stiffy died of a broken heart so the family had him made into a statue and gave him green eyes. (the nick name “Stiffy Green”) Late at night it is said you could see Mr. Heinl and his beloved dog walking together at Highland Cemetery. Some say you could even hear him bark.

The second legend is that the statue was a wedding gift from Eugene V. Debs. John’s wife Marie, was the sister to Eugene’s wife.

Either way up until being removed from the mausoleum and put in the Vigo County Historical Museum in 1983, it was an exciting attraction at Highland Cemetery…especially at night.

We’ve honored the connection to this building, and we are scared of ghosts, by naming our bar after the famous English Bulldog.