Self-Guided Visit
Self-Guided Cemetery Walk
Walk the historic grounds, including the Heinl mausoleum tied to the Stiffy Green legend and the Martin Sheets tomb.
- Duration:
- 1 hr
Photo coming soon
Cemetery / Burial Ground
Highland Lawn Cemetery
A 139-acre National Register cemetery in Terre Haute, opened in 1884, best known for the legend of Stiffy Green, a glass-eyed bulldog said to keep eternal watch over his owner's mausoleum.
4520 Wabash Ave, Terre Haute, IN 47803
Wheelchair Accessible
Research-Backed · 3sources
Age
All Ages
Cost
Free
Free to enter during daylight hours; respect posted gate times.
Access
Wheelchair OK
Paved drives and groomed lawns across rolling terrain.
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1884 · Listed on the National Register of Historic Places (1990) · Burial place of Eugene V. Debs, Max Ehrmann, and Eva Mozes Kor · 1893 Richardsonian Romanesque chapel by Jesse A. Vrydaugh
Highland Lawn Cemetery opened in 1884 on the east side of Terre Haute, Indiana, and grew to encompass 139 acres holding more than 45,000 graves. In 1893 architect Jesse A. Vrydaugh designed the cemetery's Richardsonian Romanesque chapel, which remains a centerpiece of the grounds alongside a bell tower, gateway arch, and a Colonial rest house. The cemetery was added to the National Register of Historic Places on November 29, 1990.
The grounds serve as the resting place of a remarkable cross-section of national figures, including socialist labor leader and presidential candidate Eugene V. Debs; aviation pioneer and first airline stewardess Ellen Church; "Desiderata" author Max Ehrmann; Virginia E. Jenckes, the first woman elected to Congress from Indiana; Holocaust survivor Eva Mozes Kor; and silent-film actress Valeska Suratt.
Two of the cemetery's monuments anchor its folklore. The mausoleum of Martin Sheets is the subject of a long-told tale that Sheets, terrified of being buried alive, had a telephone installed inside his tomb with a line to the cemetery office. The Heinl family mausoleum is the source of the cemetery's most famous story, that of Stiffy Green.
Highland Lawn remains an active cemetery and a destination for visitors drawn by its architecture, its famous burials, and its legends. The Vigo County Historical Society has documented and preserved the artifacts at the center of the Stiffy Green tradition.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highland_Lawn_Cemetery
- https://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/3637
- https://www.terrehaute.com/things-to-do/experiences/legend-of-stiffy-green/
Glowing green eyes seen through the mausoleum grateApparition of a bulldog walking the grounds at nightFolklore of a tomb telephone at the Sheets mausoleum
According to local tradition, Stiffy Green belonged to John G. Heinl, a Terre Haute resident, and was named for the dog's stiff gait and bright green eyes. After Heinl's death in 1920, the story holds that the loyal bulldog refused to leave his master's side and was eventually found dead on the steps of the mausoleum, after which the dog was placed inside the tomb to remain with Heinl. For decades, dating teenagers reportedly visited the Heinl mausoleum after dark, shining flashlights through its barred door to catch the glow of the dog's green glass eyes, and some claimed to glimpse Stiffy Green walking the cemetery lanes at night, according to Roadside America and the Terre Haute convention and visitors bureau.
The Vigo County Historical Society has clarified the factual core of the legend: "Stiffy" was never a living taxidermied dog but rather a cement statue with green glass eyes that had originally adorned the Heinl family porch and was later placed in the mausoleum. The statue was eventually removed from the tomb to discourage late-night trespassing and vandalism, and today it is displayed at the Vigo County Historical Society Museum, where a replica of the mausoleum was also built.
The cemetery's second legend concerns Martin Sheets, whose fear of premature burial reportedly led him to install a telephone inside his tomb connected to the cemetery office, according to Wikipedia and regional folklore accounts.
Notable Entities
Stiffy Green (phantom bulldog)John Heinl
Plan Your Visit
1 way to experienceSources & Further Reading
Every HauntBound history is researched from documented sources. We clearly separate verified historical fact from paranormal folklore.
Similar Destinations
Photo coming soon
Cemetery / Burial Ground
Crown Hill Cemetery
Indianapolis, IN
Crown Hill Cemetery was established in 1863 and formally dedicated June 1, 1864 on 555 acres of rolling land north of downtown Indianapolis. It is the third-largest non-governmental cemetery in the United States and the final resting place of President Benjamin Harrison, three U.S. vice presidents, poet James Whitcomb Riley, abolitionist editor Levi Coffin, and gangster John Dillinger. Crown Hill is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
$ All Ages
Family: High
Photo coming soon
Cemetery / Burial Ground
Batson Cemetery
Warren, IN
Batson Cemetery sits on a bluff above the Salamonie River in Jackson Township, Wells County, Indiana, near Willow Road off State Road 3. Cemetery signs date it to 1855, with roughly 400 burials; the land was donated to a cemetery association in the early 1920s by a daughter of landowner Henry Batson. It is locally famous for a cluster of counting and apparition legends.
$ All Ages
Family: Moderate
Photo coming soon
Cemetery / Burial Ground
Bonds Chapel (The Chain Tombstone)
Orleans, IN
Bonds Chapel is a rural Methodist church and cemetery in Northwest Township, Orange County, Indiana, between Orleans and the old community of Huron. Its most famous feature is the gravestone of Floyd Elmer Pruett (1894-1920), on which an image resembling a chain has appeared — the subject of one of southern Indiana's best-known cemetery legends.
$ All Ages
Family: Moderate
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Highland Lawn Cemetery family-friendly?
A quiet, well-kept historic cemetery; the Stiffy Green story is a charming, non-violent local legend suitable for all ages during daylight. Overall family fit: High.
How much does it cost to visit Highland Lawn Cemetery?
Free to enter during daylight hours; respect posted gate times. This location is free to visit.
Do I need to book in advance?
No advance booking is required, but checking availability is recommended.
Is Highland Lawn Cemetery wheelchair accessible?
Yes, Highland Lawn Cemetery is wheelchair accessible. Terrain: Paved drives and groomed lawns across rolling terrain..