If you live in North Alabama and have NEVER been to
THE COON DOG CEMETERY... It is high time you make a
visit..
It was established by Key Underwood who buried his dog Troop there in 1937 right before Labor Day in a location where he and his buddles loved to camp at a pine bluff called Sugar Creek.
Key didnt really mean to, but he was actually establishing the World's only Coon Dog cemetery...He really just wanted to give his dog a proper burial...he was special.
Years later, his brother buried one of his coon dogs at the same location, so the men decided they needed to protect the site. They leased the area named the cemetery the Key Underwood Memorial Graveyard.
This granite monument of two dogs barking up a tree marks the entrance to the cemetery.
It is one you are sure to never forget.
Coon dogs are the only kind of dogs buried here...
Until the internet came along...word of mouth was the only way the
location and existence of this place was known about...
It is a special place for Coon dog owners and
memorials of their dogs.
A granite monument of two dogs barking up a tree marks the entrance to the cemetery.
The 2002 movie "Sweet Home Alabama" even included a scene featuring a recreated version of the graveyard. Several world champion coon dogs are at rest here, including Hunter's Famous Amos, Ralston Purina's Dog of the Year in 1984.
Each Labor Day, the Friends of the Coon Dog Cemetery host a celebration at the cemetery from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Entertainment includes music, dancing, food and a liar's contest. Official Coon Dog T-shirts, Cemetery Pins, and Camouflage Caps are available to purchase.
The cemetery is still open for interments, but the Coon Hunters' Association must verify that the dog is an authentic coon dog. A pedigree is not required, but the dog must have been a hunting dog and must have hunted raccoons exclusively.
You can find the Coon Dog Cemetery 7 miles west of Tuscumbia on U.S. Hwy 72. Turn left on Alabama Hwy 247, and travel approximately 12 miles. Then turn right, and follow the signs.
The graveyard is open every day during daylight hours.
You can contact the Colbert County Tourism and Convention Bureau, 1-800-344-0783; (256) 383-0783.
For more photos of the Coon Dog Cemetery, visit Strange Alabama's Facebook Page.
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