Touring Northwest Alabama

     While sitting in Red Bay over the weekend, there is no service work happening so we decided to go tour the area. Nothing extensive, but we just wanted to get out and see something other than a service bay and the parking lot campground!

     We had heard about it on previous visits to Red Bay but had never taken the trip. This time we decided it was about time that we visited the Coon Dog Cemetery in Cherokee, AL. Back on Labor Day of 1937, a guy named Key Underwood sadly buried his faithful coon dog, Troop. They had been hunting together for more than 15 years. Key chose a spot that was a popular hunting area where coon hunters from all around would gather, tell tall tales, and compare dogs. Troop loved this spot and Key decided that Troop would be buried here. He wrapped the dog in a cotton pick sack and buried him three feet down, marking the grave with a rock from a nearby old chimney. Using a hammer and screwdriver, he chiseled out Troop's name and the date. Troop was known as a "cold nosed" coon hound meaning that he could follow cold coon tracks until they grew fresh and he never left the trail until he had treed the coon. This is the only cemetery of its kind in the world and hunters from all over have buried their coon dogs in the cemetery. Now be advised that only coon dogs can be buried here. To qualify for burial there are three requirements that must be met. First, the owner must claim the dog is an authentic coon hound. Second, a witness must declare the deceased is a coon dog. Thirdly, a member of the local coon hunter's organization must be allowed to view the coonhound and declare it as such. Headstones are crafted from wood, metal, or stone and bear epitaphs that range from humorous to touching.

Misty visiting her Alabama cousins

     If you read the previous blog entry you know that Misty dislocated her hip. She has been recuperating during this travel and has just recently began to use all four legs again. This was the first big outing since the accident and she really enjoyed getting out. She was pretty stiff and worn out when we got home but we think that she'd go again in a heartbeat given the chance!

Misty out and about in the woods. 

      We left the cemetery and drove through Mussel Shoals to Florence, AL to visit Pope's Tavern museum. At one time this served as a stagecoach stop, tavern, and inn and is one of the oldest structures in Florence. Legend has it that Andrew Jackson stopped here on his march to the Battle of New Orleans. It also served as a hospital for both Confederate and Union soldiers during the Civil War. Because of its location and port facilities along the Tennessee river, Florence was occupied by both sides repeatedly over the course of the war. Antiques and artifacts from the 18th and 19th century abound in rooms on the ground floor. The second floor is filled with artifacts from the Civil War and items of local history.

Portrait of the original owner (above) and a view of the front entrance

An old Edison wax cylinder player

Artifacts abound in the kitchen area

Pleating iron or Crimper used on clothing

The Dining/Meeting room

     A little about the kettle in the above photo. I thought that it was used to boil down sugar cane (we have seen bigger ones like this in plantations all along the Gulf Coast). Turns out it is too far north for sugar cane. This kettle was used originally to remove the hair from the hide of a freshly killed hog! The carcass was placed in boiling water in the kettle and the hairs loosened from the hide and were easier to remove. In later years, the local church made stews in the kettle and served to parishioners.

     Just across from Pope's Tavern were two "Sears Homes". Look it up on the internet. You used to be able to order a home from the Sears and Roebuck catalog. It would arrive to you pre cut and in pieces. You then had it built. There were many styles and sizes to choose from. These are two originals that are occupied to this day.

     Down the street is the University of North Alabama--a neat little campus tucked away on neatly manicured lawns. Nothing really differentiates it from any other small college site except for the little area just inside the gate. Here the University mascot(s) are housed and live in comfort. It was a cool and cloudy day when we visited and they were awake and regal in surveying their minions. They are actually brother and sister. They seem to enjoy watching people as much as the people like to watch them.

THE Univ. of North Alabama Lions! (Leo III and Una)

          After viewing the lions, and on our way back to our car, we encountered the bus (in the photo below) parked in the parking lot. As RVers we couldn't resist a closer look and we were warmly invited in by the occupants. They told me that they had modified the coach themselves and the interior was extensively remodeled. There was a sitting area up front, Dining table, and a kitchen and bath in the rear. Sleeping quarters were along the top. The group of folks are members of The Twelve Tribes. They are a religious group that has locations all across the United States, Canada, Europe, South America, and Australia. They are similar in lifestyle to a commune as they share things like chores, duties, meals, and such. They are religious but not in a pushy or preachy way. They were  very friendly and invited us in for conversation and answered all of our questions cheerfully. They did not try to push their lifestyle on us or hound us for donations. They all worked at a restaurant chain called the Yellow Deli that is run by the Twelve Tribes organization and were out touring northwest Alabama just like we were.

The Twelve Tribes Bus

     Our last stop was at a little park by the marina on the Tennessee River. It is a nice place to have a picnic or just relax and have fun with family and friends. I bet it is really popular in the summer months!