Fire devastates Rod and Gun Steakhouse

Dec. 12—Eighty-six-year-old Robert E. Johnson remained up all night in the wake of a large fire Monday that destroyed much of the Rod and Gun Steakhouse in northern Vigo County.

It's a dinery with a colorful history, and Johnson has been its owner for 48 years, although the restaurant has been operated by two sons.

The Indiana State Fire Marshal's office is investigating the fire, and Indiana State Police are assisting with interviews.

The steakhouse, a historic Wabash Valley eatery located near the Wabash River west of Rosedale, was once known as a secluded hideaway for gangsters, politicians and others seeking alcohol, gambling and private dining, according to a 2013 Tribune-Star story.

The club's original owner, Terre Haute businessman Eddie Gosnell, was married to one of Terre Haute's most notorious madams of the 1920s-'40s, Edith Mae Brown.

Gosnell, a wealthy bootlegger and gambler, opened the Rod and Gun Club in 1921 about a half mile south of the current site.

It's reported that gangster John Dillinger frequented the establishment in the Prohibition era.

The current steakhouse had many items and pictures recording much of its colorful history — but Monday's fire took a heavy toll.

"All of our memorabilia is all gone. We had a chandelier in there from Madame Brown. That's gone," Johnson said Tuesday morning. "We had a lot of pictures that are gone. The fire moved so fast we couldn't get anything."

The scene Tuesday consisted of charred debris, twisted metal and a missing roof.

Asked about rebuilding, "I'd imagine there will probably be something. I'm not sure just what, but the boys are fairly young," he said of his sons, Bob Jr. and Bill, who run it.

The restaurant is located at 2525 E. Lambert Ave.

The fire began about 10 p.m. When the Otter Creek Fire Department arrived, flames could be seen through the roof of the structure on the south end.

"Interior conditions didn't permit us to make entry," said Chief Brad Stott. "It was pretty much a defensive fire from the outset."

The department called for mutual aid and 18 other departments responded. "We got an astounding response that I am truly grateful for," Stott said.

The response included two aerial trucks, about 75 to 85 firefighters including those providing the water supply. About 19 to 20 tankers brought water because there are no hydrants close by.

"I think we probably went through close to 500,000 gallons of water," Stott said.

Firefighters were on scene until about 2:30 a.m. and they were able to stop the fire about 2/3 of the way down the building, he said. "There is a good one-third of it left."

There were no injuries.

Otter Creek Fire Department has conducted its annual awards program there each year and was planning to do so again in January or February.

"A lot of people from around here grew up with (the steakhouse)," Stott said. "We've celebrated birthdays, holidays and family events. It's a unique place. They had good food."

It could serve a small group in a private room or a large gathering. "We'd have around 100 people for our (fire department) banquet," Stott said.

Also, "It had just a really special, irreplaceable collection of memorabilia" that was lost to the fire, Stott said. "Our sympathies go out to the family."

The original Rod and Gun Club burned in 1970 and was eventually re-built at its current location.

Current owner Robert E. Johnson started working at the restaurant when he was 11. He later became Eddie Gosnell's confidante and body guard for several years until Gosnell died in 1961, Johnson said.

Johnson purchased the Rod and Gun Club from the Gosnell estate in 1975.

On Tuesday, family members worked to salvage some items from the rubble.

"I hated to lose all the memorabilia. That's the bad part," Johnson reflected. "The building can be replaced, but the memorabilia is gone."

According to an Indiana Connection online article, the Rod and Gun Club was "a favorite hangout of Hoosier-born John Dillinger and other Chicago gangsters during Prohibition's heyday. The restaurant's private dining rooms were perfect hideaways to indulge in a little illegal gambling and drinking."

The steakhouse has had many notable visitors through the years, according to various accounts.

Former U.S. president Ronald Reagan dined there, as did basketball legend Larry Bird, racers A.J. Foyt and Mario Andretti and Kentucky Fried Chicken founder Harlan Sanders.

Sue Loughlin can be reached at 812-231-4235 or at sue.loughlin@tribstar.com. Follow Sue on X at @TribStarSue.