Pay attention to the tarmac on the runway if you ever visit the Savannah/Hilton Head AirportUnless you were a model or a pilot, it’s pretty unlikely that you would want your final resting place to be a runway.
But it’s where this couple will spend the rest of eternity side by side due to quite a bizarre reason.
If you’re ever on a flight in or out of the Savannah/Hilton Head Airport, or simply having a gander on Google Maps, you can spot the pair of memorials on the runway.Underneath the tarmac at the travel hub in the US state of Georgia, lies Catherine and Richard Dotson, along with two of their relatives.The couple are buried on the western half of the airport, at the edge of runway 10 and 28, and have been for more than 140 years.
But why did they end up resting in peace right next to the ‘most active runway’ at the airport?The couple are buried on the western half of the airport, at the edge of runway 10 and 28, and have been for more than 140 years.
But why did they end up resting in peace right next to the ‘most active runway’ at the airport?
Catherine and Richard Dotson are buried underneath the airport’s runway (Savannah/Hilton Head Airport)
Catherine and Richard Dotson are buried underneath the airport’s runway (Savannah/Hilton Head Airport)
Well, we have to go back in time a bit to explain this – long before the Savannah/Hilton Head Airport was first built in 1960.
Back in the day, the Dotson’s used to own the land which planes now to and fro from. It was known as Cherokee Hills and the couple – who were both born in 1797 – spent many happy years there together, enjoying five decades of marriage.
But Catherine passed away in 1877, before her husband then died in 1884.
In line with customs at the time, the couple were buried next to each other on their land at Cherokee Hill.
Google Maps shows two people buried in graves under airport runway as bizarre reason is explained
Updated 20:18 28 Jan 2025 GMT
Published 20:17 28 Jan 2025 GMT
Google Maps shows two people buried in graves under airport runway as bizarre reason is explained
Pay attention to the tarmac on the runway if you ever visit the Savannah/Hilton Head Airport
Olivia Burke
Olivia Burke
Unless you were a model or a pilot, it’s pretty unlikely that you would want your final resting place to be a runway.
But it’s where this couple will spend the rest of eternity side by side due to quite a bizarre reason.
If you’re ever on a flight in or out of the Savannah/Hilton Head Airport, or simply having a gander on Google Maps, you can spot the pair of memorials on the runway.
Underneath the tarmac at the travel hub in the US state of Georgia, lies Catherine and Richard Dotson, along with two of their relatives.
The couple are buried on the western half of the airport, at the edge of runway 10 and 28, and have been for more than 140 years.
But why did they end up resting in peace right next to the ‘most active runway’ at the airport?
Catherine and Richard Dotson are buried underneath the airport’s runway (Savannah/Hilton Head Airport)
Catherine and Richard Dotson are buried underneath the airport’s runway (Savannah/Hilton Head Airport)
Well, we have to go back in time a bit to explain this – long before the Savannah/Hilton Head Airport was first built in 1960.
Back in the day, the Dotson’s used to own the land which planes now to and fro from. It was known as Cherokee Hills and the couple – who were both born in 1797 – spent many happy years there together, enjoying five decades of marriage.
But Catherine passed away in 1877, before her husband then died in 1884.
In line with customs at the time, the couple were buried next to each other on their land at Cherokee Hill.
The area where they still lie today was actually the family cemetery on their farm, which was made up of around 100 graves.
Years after the pair passed away, the world was on the brink of World War II and the US military wanted to make sure they were prepared.
Officials needed somewhere to set up additional facilities and land their B-24 ‘Liberators’ and B-17 ‘Flying Fortresses’ – and they set their sights on Cherokee Hills.
According to the airport, a lease was negotiated between the federal government and the City of Savannah for the land, which is where Savannah/Hilton Head International now stands.
Google Maps shows two people buried in graves under airport runway as bizarre reason is explained
Updated 20:18 28 Jan 2025 GMT
Published 20:17 28 Jan 2025 GMT
Google Maps shows two people buried in graves under airport runway as bizarre reason is explained
Pay attention to the tarmac on the runway if you ever visit the Savannah/Hilton Head Airport
Olivia Burke
Olivia Burke
Unless you were a model or a pilot, it’s pretty unlikely that you would want your final resting place to be a runway.
But it’s where this couple will spend the rest of eternity side by side due to quite a bizarre reason.
If you’re ever on a flight in or out of the Savannah/Hilton Head Airport, or simply having a gander on Google Maps, you can spot the pair of memorials on the runway.
Underneath the tarmac at the travel hub in the US state of Georgia, lies Catherine and Richard Dotson, along with two of their relatives.
The couple are buried on the western half of the airport, at the edge of runway 10 and 28, and have been for more than 140 years.
But why did they end up resting in peace right next to the ‘most active runway’ at the airport?
Catherine and Richard Dotson are buried underneath the airport’s runway (Savannah/Hilton Head Airport)
Catherine and Richard Dotson are buried underneath the airport’s runway (Savannah/Hilton Head Airport)
Well, we have to go back in time a bit to explain this – long before the Savannah/Hilton Head Airport was first built in 1960.
Back in the day, the Dotson’s used to own the land which planes now to and fro from. It was known as Cherokee Hills and the couple – who were both born in 1797 – spent many happy years there together, enjoying five decades of marriage.
But Catherine passed away in 1877, before her husband then died in 1884.
In line with customs at the time, the couple were buried next to each other on their land at Cherokee Hill.
The area where they still lie today was actually the family cemetery on their farm, which was made up of around 100 graves.
Years after the pair passed away, the world was on the brink of World War II and the US military wanted to make sure they were prepared.
Officials needed somewhere to set up additional facilities and land their B-24 ‘Liberators’ and B-17 ‘Flying Fortresses’ – and they set their sights on Cherokee Hills.
According to the airport, a lease was negotiated between the federal government and the City of Savannah for the land, which is where Savannah/Hilton Head International now stands.
Their relatives Daniel Hueston and John Dotson are also buried close by (Savannah/Hilton Head Airport)
Their relatives Daniel Hueston and John Dotson are also buried close by (Savannah/Hilton Head Airport)
It explains: “Shortly after its acquisition, the federal government began a program of obtaining additional acreage to enlarge the facilities at Chatham Field, which had been designated as a command base and heavy bombardment combat crew training station for the second bomb wing of the Army Air Corps. Part of this acquisition included a private family cemetery belonging to the Dotson family.”
Almost all of the graves were moved to Bonaventure Cemetery, but the Dotson’s great grandchildren stepped in so that the couple remain undisturbed.
They believed that Catherine and Richard would want to stay put on the land that they had put so much hard work into for decades, so authorities had no choice but to have the area paved over their graves for the runway.The couple are buried on the western half of the airport, at the edge of runway 10 and 28, and have been for more than 140 years.
But why did they end up resting in peace right next to the ‘most active runway’ at the airport?
Catherine and Richard Dotson are buried underneath the airport’s runway (Savannah/Hilton Head Airport)
Catherine and Richard Dotson are buried underneath the airport’s runway (Savannah/Hilton Head Airport)
Well, we have to go back in time a bit to explain this – long before the Savannah/Hilton Head Airport was first built in 1960.
Back in the day, the Dotson’s used to own the land which planes now to and fro from. It was known as Cherokee Hills and the couple – who were both born in 1797 – spent many happy years there together, enjoying five decades of marriage.
But Catherine passed away in 1877, before her husband then died in 1884.
In line with customs at the time, the couple were buried next to each other on their land at Cherokee Hill.
The area where they still lie today was actually the family cemetery on their farm, which was made up of around 100 graves.
Years after the pair passed away, the world was on the brink of World War II and the US military wanted to make sure they were prepared.
Officials needed somewhere to set up additional facilities and land their B-24 ‘Liberators’ and B-17 ‘Flying Fortresses’ – and they set their sights on Cherokee Hills.
According to the airport, a lease was negotiated between the federal government and the City of Savannah for the land, which is where Savannah/Hilton Head International now stands.
Their relatives Daniel Hueston and John Dotson are also buried close by (Savannah/Hilton Head Airport)
Their relatives Daniel Hueston and John Dotson are also buried close by (Savannah/Hilton Head Airport)
It explains: “Shortly after its acquisition, the federal government began a program of obtaining additional acreage to enlarge the facilities at Chatham Field, which had been designated as a command base and heavy bombardment combat crew training station for the second bomb wing of the Army Air Corps. Part of this acquisition included a private family cemetery belonging to the Dotson family.”
Almost all of the graves were moved to Bonaventure Cemetery, but the Dotson’s great grandchildren stepped in so that the couple remain undisturbed.
They believed that Catherine and Richard would want to stay put on the land that they had put so much hard work into for decades, so authorities had no choice but to have the area paved over their graves for the runway.
However, there are markers on the graves as a sign of respect to those buried beneath them, which thousands of travellers probably see each day.
The airport added: “These grave sites are the only ones in the world embedded in an active 9,350 foot runway serving thousands of general and commercial aviation operations yearly.”
Catherine and Richard are also accompanied by their two relatives, Daniel Hueston and John Dotson.
Featured Image Credit: Google Maps