The Key Underwood Coon Dog Memorial Graveyard is a specialized and restricted pet cemetery and memorial in rural Colbert County, Alabama, US. It is reserved specifically for the burials of coon dogs. The cemetery was established by Key Underwood on September 4, 1937. Underwood buried his own dog there, choosing the spot, previously a popular hunting camp where "Troop" did 15 years of service. As of August2014[update], more than 300 dogs were buried in the graveyard.
Criteria for burial are fairly well established, albeit being subject to interpretation and application. Only bona fide "coonhounds" are to be buried there. The exact measure of that standard depends on breeding, experience and performance; and seemingly depends on who and when the tale is told and the determination made.
History
Troop's grave, the oldest in the cemetery
Key Underwood established the cemetery on September 4, 1937, interring his coon dog, Troop, in an old hunting camp[4][5][6] located in rural Colbert County, Alabama, US. The closest town is Cherokee, Alabama.[7][8] At the time, Underwood only intended to bury Troop in a place they had coon hunted together for 15 years. The memorial was a serendipitous afterthought.[9][10] Underwood buried Troop there, three feet deep, with an engraved old chimney stone for a marker. Later, other bereaved hunters followed his example when their dogs died, and the cemetery flourished as a result.[9][11] The entrance is marked by a statue of two coonhounds treeing a raccoon.[12][4][13] During a 1984 interview with columnist Rheta Grimsley Johnson, Underwood said that burying Troop was doing "something special for a special coon dog". Allowance of mere pets is contraindicated. "It would reveal that you must not know much about coon hunters and their dogs, if you think we would contaminate this burial place with poodles and lap dogs."[14][10][15]
Dogs must meet three requirements to qualify for burial at the cemetery:
the owner must verify that their dog was a purebred coonhound
a witness must declare that the dead animal is a coon dog
a member of the local coonhunters' organization must be allowed to view the remains.[16] The cemetery is not actually "breed specific" but at a minimum requires that the dog was actually used to hunt coons, and not something else.[17][18] Admission criteria are game specific. Quoting O'Neal Bolton, former caretaker of the Coon Dog Graveyard, the cemetery's website notes:
"We have stipulations on this thing, ... A dog can't run no deer, possum — nothing like that. He's got to be a straight coon dog, and he's got to be full hound. Couldn't be a mixed up breed dog, a house dog."[14]
To be sure, being a full blooded coonhound from a recognized breed — i.e., "Redbone, black and tan, English bluetick, English redtick, Plott, Treeing Walker, and various combinations of the above" — is a plus. But "many non-AKC breeds of Southern hunting hounds (such as our native frontier hounds, the Black Mouth Curs, Plott Hounds, Catahoulas, and Mountain Curs)" may be admitted, but then must be proven to meet all three of the criteria, and have no fewer than three witnesses who will attest that they have seen the dog track and tree coons single-handedly.[19]
Headstones and markers in the cemetery range from homemade metal and wooden monuments to more intricate marble engraved stones, akin to human gravesites.[17] They range from humble and home made to relatively well-crafted and ostentatious. Each reveals a touching story and makes a tribute.[20] Some have epitaphs, such as "He wasn't the best, but he was the best I ever owned". The interred dogs include many notable hunting dogs such as Hunter's Famous Amos, Ralston Purina's 1984 Dog of the Year.[13] It is the only cemetery in the world specifically dedicated to coonhounds.[9][21] By 2014, over 300 dogs were buried in the cemetery.[11]
More generally, There are two monumental sculptures.[22] It is a tourist attraction, albeit well off the beaten path.[23] Maintained by the Tennessee Valley Coon Hunters Association, it receives nearly 7,000 visitors annually.[24] Visitors are encouraged to sign in to the guest book on premises.[25]
The entrance is festooned with warning signs, some pocked with many bullet holes, which advise visitors of surveillance by the neighborhood; another forbids lighting fires, and stresses only coon dogs buried with permission are allowed.[26]
"Remembrances of dogs past happen a lot at the cemetery. Tears are shed, for they're more than dogs. They're more than pets. They're friends. More – they are family members. Funerals befitting a family's grand matriarchhappens[sic] up on the hill a handful of times a year because some of the dogs there are grand matriarchs. Families bury their own, like Key Underwood did that sad Labor Day."[27] The seriousness and solemnity of being interred at the memorial[29] is illustrated here:
"A group of solemn men, dressed in black mourning coats and hip boots, wearing carbide lamps on their heads stood beside a mound of soil and a freshly dug hole. A hunting horn sounded and the bay of hounds filled the air." Four outiftted pallbearers "... walked slowly toward the gathered crowd, a small wooden box carried between them".[30]
"The last lines of William's eulogy memorialize the relationship between hunter and dog:
"'...he knows in coon dog heaven he can hunt again when the sun goes down and the tree frogs holler. May the bones of Ole Red rest in peace, through the mercy of God and may the coon hunters light perpetually shine upon him.'"[30]
Caretaker and contact person for the cemetery was Janice M. Williams,[22] aka the "Coon Dog Lady", who is the cemetery board's president. She was the first reported person to actually "count the graves scattered across that pastoral acre: 307 as of January 2014. She keeps it presentable (without care the forest quickly encroaches)."[31]
As the 75th anniversary of the cemetery approached, coins and replica service medals started to be left on the graves.[32]
The cemetery evolved, as has the sport of coon hunting. "These days hunting's about competition... Used to, people hunted [raccoons] for their hides or in the Depression, they ate them, but we don't shoot [raccoons] anymore." Dogs are supposed to be independent, capable of hunting on their own, and "honest, meaning it won't run deer or rabbits; and it'll stay put, meaning it'll stay no matter rain, a storm, or another dog aggravating it," says Lee Hatton, grounds caretaker. A United Kennel Club title requires beating other champions and "It takes 100 hard-earned points to become a champion."[33]
The facility is officially recognized as an historic cemetery by the State of Alabama.[34]
The memorial's thematic purpose has been summarized:
"Twelve years is a long time to be loved like that, and it’s a good life for a dog. It’s a good life for anybody. This is the only graveyard I’ve been to that was less an acknowledgment of death than it is a celebration of what almost certainly was, grave for coon dog grave, a damn good life."[19]
Labor Day
Travis Wammack entertains the crowd at the 2007 Labor Day Celebration
Every Labor Day the Tennessee Valley Coon Hunter's Association sponsors a gathering at the cemetery in a tribute to the inauguration of the cemetery on Labor Day in 1937. The celebration includes bluegrass music, dancing, barbecue and a liar's contest.[35] Admission is free to the public, but donations are accepted and help defray upkeep expenses. In 2014 eight Redbone Coonhound puppies were sold at the gathering, with proceeds going to upkeep. The gathering is often attended by local politicians.[27][36][37]
Popular culture
The cemetery was featured in the movie Sweet Home Alabama, but the producers used artistic license to relocate it to south Alabama.[38] The film's protagonists go looking for the graves of dogs named "Bear" and "Bryant", an homage to Bear Bryant the football coach.[39]
The cemetery and the Labor Day gathering are remembered in song by Milan Miller.[40][41]
In 1987, an authorized 50th anniversary Case knife souvenir was sold to honor the dogs and the cemetery.[42][43] With new graphics and subject matter, the promotion was repeated to honor 75th anniversary in 2012.[42][44]
A hound is a type of hunting dog used by hunters to track or chase prey.
Colbert County is a county located in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Alabama. As of the 2020 census the county's population was 57,227. The county seat is Tuscumbia. The largest city is Muscle Shoals.
Scent hounds are a type of hound that primarily hunts by scent rather than sight. These breeds are hunting dogs and are generally regarded as having some of the most sensitive noses among dogs. Scent hounds specialize in following scent or smells. Most of them tend to have long, drooping ears and large nasal cavities to enhance smell sensitivity. They need to have relatively high endurance to be able to keep track of scent over long distances and rough terrain. It is believed that they were first bred by the Celts by crossbreeding mastiff-type dogs with sighthounds. The first established scent hounds were St. Hubert Hounds bred by monks in Belgium during the Middle Ages.
The Black and Tan Coonhound is a breed of hunting dog. Developed in the United States from crosses between the Bloodhound and the Black and Tan Virginia Foxhound, this scent hound runs its game entirely by scent and is used primarily for raccoon hunting.
A coonhound, colloquially a coon dog, is a type of scenthound, a member of the hound group. They are an American type of hunting dog developed for the hunting of raccoons and also for feral pigs, bobcats, cougars, and bears. There are six distinct breeds of coonhound.
The Bluetick Coonhound is a breed of coonhound originating in the United States. The Bluetick Coonhound is known for its friendly personality, cold nose, and deep bawl mouth. It is most commonly used as a raccoon hunting dog, but is also kept as a pet.
A hunting dog is a canine that hunts with or for hunters. There are several different types of hunting dog developed for various tasks and purposes. The major categories of hunting dog include hounds, terriers, dachshunds, cur type dogs, and gun dogs. Further distinctions within these categories can be made, based upon the dog's skills and capabilities. They are usually larger and have a more sensitive smell than normal dogs.
The United Kennel Club (UKC) is a kennel club founded in 1898 in the United States. In contrast with the American Kennel Club, which is non-profit and which only clubs can join, the United Kennel Club is a profit-making corporation, open to individuals.
Where the Red Fern Grows is a 1961 children's novel by Wilson Rawls about a boy who buys and trains two Redbone Coonhounds for hunting. It's a work of autobiographical fiction based on Rawls' childhood in the Ozarks.
The American Foxhound is a breed of dog, closely related to the English Foxhound. They are scent hounds, bred to hunt foxes by scent. United States Founding Father George Washington was key to the breed's early development.
The Treeing Walker Coonhound is a breed of hound descended from the English and American Foxhounds. The breed originated in the United States when a stolen dog known as "Tennessee Lead" was crossed into the Walker Hound in the 19th century. The Treeing Walker Coonhound was recognized officially as a breed by the United Kennel Club in 1945 and by the American Kennel Club in 2012.
"The Hunt" is episode 84 of the American television anthology series The Twilight Zone. It originally aired on January 26, 1962 on CBS.
A feist is a small hunting dog, descended from the terriers brought over to the United States by British miners and other immigrants. These terriers probably included crosses between the Smooth Fox Terrier, the Manchester Terrier, and the now-extinct English White Terrier. These dogs were used as ratters, and gambling on their prowess in killing rats was a favorite hobby of their owners. Some of these dogs have been crossed with Greyhounds, Whippets or Italian Greyhounds, and Beagles or other hounds —extending the family to include a larger variety of purpose than the original ratter, or Rat Terrier.
Smokey is the mascot of the University of Tennessee sports teams. These teams, named "The Volunteers" and nicknamed "the Vols", use both a live and a costumed version of Smokey.
Boar hunting is the practice of hunting wild boar, feral pigs, warthogs, and peccaries. Boar hunting was historically a dangerous exercise due to the tusked animal's ambush tactics as well as its thick hide and dense bones rendering them difficult to kill with premodern weapons.
The American English Coonhound, also referred to as the English Coonhound or the Redtick Coonhound, is a breed of coonhound that originated in and is typically bred in the Southern United States. It is descended from hunting hounds, especially foxhounds, brought to America by settlers during the 17th and 18th centuries. The breed's first recognition came from the United Kennel Club in 1905 as the English Fox and Coonhound. Further recognition has been granted in recent years by the American Kennel Club, first in the Foundation Stock Service and in 2011 as a fully recognized member of the hound group.
A bay dog is a dog that is specially trained to find, chase, and then bay, or howl, at a safe distance from large animals during a hunt, such as during a wild boar hunt.
Where the Red Fern Grows is a 2003 American family adventure film directed by Lyman Dayton and Sam Pillsbury and starring Joseph Ashton, Dave Matthews, Ned Beatty and Dabney Coleman. Based on the children's book of the same name by Wilson Rawls and a remake of the 1974 film of the same name, it follows the story of Billy Colman who buys and trains two Redbone Coonhound hunting dogs to hunt raccoons in the Ozark mountains.
Where the Red Fern Grows is a 1974 drama film directed by Norman Tokar and starring James Whitmore, Beverly Garland, Stewart Petersen and Jack Ging. It is based on the 1961 novel of the same name.
Coon hunting is the practice of hunting raccoons, most often for their meat and fur. It is almost always done with specially bred dogs called coonhounds, of which there are six breeds, and is most commonly associated with rural life in the Southern United States. Coon hunting is also popular in the rural Midwest. Most coon hunts take place at night, with the dogs being turned loose, trailing and putting the raccoon up a tree without human assistance. Once the raccoon is in the tree, with the dog at the base, it is referred to as "treed", with "treeing" being the active verb form.
1 2 "Key Underwood Coon Dog Memorial Cemetery: Alabama Legacy Moment"(Video). Alabama Public Television. June 30, 2017. Archived from the original on April 9, 2022. Retrieved April 9, 2022– via YouTube. In order for a dog to be buried at the site, the Coon Hunters' Association must verify that the dog is an authentic coon dog. Although a pedigree or a specific breed is not required for qualification, the dog must have been a hunting dog and must have hunted raccoons exclusively.
↑ The Cemetery Detective (April 25, 2011). "Key Underwood Coon Dog Cemetery – Cherokee Alabama". Archived from the original on May 3, 2017. Retrieved April 14, 2022. The Coon Dog Cemetery tombstones and epitaphs will make any animal lover shed a tear.
↑ The Bucket List With Meg (2015). "If I Ever Have A Dead Coon Dog". Kicking The Bucket List With Meg. WordPress. Archived from the original on June 15, 2022. Retrieved April 14, 2022.
1 2 3 Shipley, Jonathan (November 20, 2021). "Here Lies Troop". Dog News. p.90. Archived from the original on February 28, 2022. Retrieved April 10, 2022. Only Coonhounds Need Apply at Key Underwood Coon Dog Memorial Cemetery in Tuscumbia Alabama
↑ Wallace, Daniel (April 2014). GOOD DOGS: Alabama's Coon Dog Cemetery. Archived from the original on November 26, 2021. Retrieved April 10, 2022. Deep in the Alabama woods at the base of the Cumberland Mountains lies a cemetery like no other.{{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
↑ Staff (September 3, 2013). "The mystery of the Coondog Cemetery headstone coins". Quad Cities Daily. Archived from the original on June 15, 2022. Retrieved April 11, 2022. TUSCUMBIA- The Mystery of The Coondog Cemetery coins on the headstones started when coins started appearing on top of the headstones at the Coondog Cemetery southwest of Tuscumbia about six months before the 75th anniversary in 2012. In addition to various coins, replicas of service medals were also left.
Van Laan, Nancy; Booth, George (Illustrator) (August 25, 1992). Possum Came a Knockin (Paperback) (Reprinted.). New York: Dragonfly Books. p.32. ISBN978-0679834687. Children's book.
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