Why Two Graves Lie Beneath an Active Airport Runway

Picture this: you’re strapped in for takeoff at Savannah Hilton Head Airport, looking out the window at the runway stretching out in front of you. You’re probably thinking about your destination, the in-flight movie, or maybe where you put your snacks. But here’s a thought you probably aren’t having: “Are there graves beneath this runway?”

Yes, at Savannah Hilton Head Airport in Georgia, two graves lie embedded directly under Runway 10 and 28. They’re not just any graves either; they’re the final resting places of Catherine and Richard Dotson, a couple whose connection to this land runs deeper than any runway could ever pave over.

Let’s rewind a bit. The Dotsons, born in 1779, spent their lives farming this land, then known as Cherokee Hills. They were married for over fifty years, and after Catherine passed away in 1877 and Richard followed in 1884, they were laid to rest on their beloved farm, which also served as a family cemetery.

But they weren’t alone in their eternal rest. Their family cemetery originally included around 100 graves, some of which belonged to enslaved individuals who had once worked on the Dotson farm. Over time, as generations passed, the cemetery remained, though the land’s purpose would take a dramatic shift with the onset of World War II.

In the 1940s, the U.S. military came calling. They needed a local base for B-24 Liberators and B-17 Flying Fortresses to land and take off, and the open fields of Cherokee Hills looked perfect. But the land had this little “inconvenience” – a graveyard.

So what did they do? Most of the graves, including those of enslaved individuals and other Dotson relatives, were carefully moved to Bonaventure Cemetery, clearing space for the runway. But when it came to Catherine and Richard’s final resting places, their descendants dug their heels in. The Dotsons had farmed this land, lived on it, and cherished it in life, and their family insisted they remain there in death.

Not willing to push back against family wishes, the military decided to work around it. They built the runway with two graves left in place, marking them with rectangular granite stones embedded into the tarmac. Yes, that means every time you take off or land on Runway 10 or 28, you’re technically rolling right over the Dotsons’ graves.

And for history buffs, there’s an extra twist: two more Dotson family members are buried nearby. Relatives Daniel Hueston and John Dotson rest close to the airport’s main runway, nestled in the brush just outside the bustling tarmac. They may not be paved over like the elder Dotsons, but their presence adds a bit of mystery to this already fascinating tale.

For Catherine and Richard, lying beneath a busy runway may seem like a strange afterlife, but their family’s determination ensured they would remain part of the land they loved. Now, they’re part of Savannah Hilton Head’s story too, where the modern and historical worlds collide each day, right beneath the wheels of landing jets.

So, next time you’re taking off from Savannah Hilton Head, glance out at Runway 10. A few feet below that tarmac, Catherine and Richard are still here – a quiet reminder that even under the roar of jet engines, some legacies refuse to fade.