In rural northwest Alabama near Cherokee, Key Underwood established a cemetery for coon dogs on September 4, 1937, when he buried his dog Troop at an old hunting camp they had shared for 15 years. Other hunters soon chose the same resting place, creating a burial ground reserved not for pets generally but specifically for working purebred coonhounds, under strict rules confirming each dog’s identity and use. Its varied grave markers preserve a folk history of southern hunting culture. Maintained by the Tennessee Valley Coon Hunters Association, the site draws thousands of visitors and is recognized by Alabama as a historic cemetery.

Cherokee, Alabama · USA