The Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport might look like any other airport, but it holds a unique secret: two graves are embedded under runway 10. These graves belong to Richard and Catherine Dotson, who were laid to rest on what used to be their farm. Today, their names are engraved on the tarmac, a reminder of the past for the thousands of travelers flying overhead.

The Dotson Family’s Legacy

Richard and Catherine Dotson were farming pioneers in Georgia, both born in 1779. They spent their lives working the land known as Cherokee Hills. After 50 years of marriage, Catherine passed away in 1877, followed by Richard in 1884. Their final resting place was a family cemetery that held over 100 graves, including those of slaves and workers.

As the years passed, the Dotson farm would undergo a massive transformation. But the family’s presence remains, with their graves being part of a story that connects the past to the modern world.

From Farm to Airport

In 1942, the City of Savannah, along with the federal government, negotiated with the Dotson family to expand the land for U.S. military operations during World War II. Savannah was chosen as a key location for training military crews to fly B-24 “Liberators” and B-17 “Flying Fortresses,” critical bombers for the war effort. To accommodate this, the land where the Dotsons were buried had to be repurposed, and the Savannah Airport was constructed.

The expansion was necessary, but the graves posed a unique challenge. The Dotson family descendants agreed to move most of the graves to Bonaventure Cemetery, a famous resting place in Savannah. However, they insisted that Richard and Catherine remain on their land, despite the new airport plans. Thus, the airport grew around the graves, leading to the strange yet respectful decision to leave them embedded in the active runway.

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Two Graves Beneath the Runway

Out of the 100 graves from the original Dotson family cemetery, all but four were moved. Richard and Catherine Dotson’s final resting places are now in the heart of the airport’s busiest runway. These graves are marked with flat headstones, embedded right into the tarmac. The two other graves of John Dotson and Daniel Hueston, relatives of Richard and Catherine, remain nearby, hidden in the shrubbery just beyond the busy runway.

Today, the graves of Richard and Catherine are believed to be the only ones in the world resting within an active 9,350-foot runway. Thousands of flights pass over them each year, making their presence a unique part of aviation history.

The Legacy Continues

According to airport officials, moving the Dotson graves without permission from the family would have been illegal. So, they paved around the graves, leaving markers to commemorate the Dotson family’s presence on the land. These two graves have become a part of the airport’s story, and pilots and staff often share the legend with new crews, adding a touch of mystery to the airfield.

Shannon Scott, a local historian, believes the graves are symbolic of Savannah itself, a city steeped in history and built over the memories of those who came before. In his words, Savannah is “a city built on top of its own dead.” This sentiment resonates deeply in a city that is known for its haunted past.

Savannah: A City of Ghosts

Savannah is often ranked among America’s most haunted cities, alongside places like Salem and New Orleans. The Dotson graves are just a small piece of a much larger supernatural puzzle. The city is home to many haunted sites, including the resting places of soldiers who perished in the Siege of Savannah during the Civil War, victims of the 1820 Yellow Fever epidemic, and slaves seeking revenge on their former captors.

For those intrigued by the supernatural, Savannah offers numerous ghost tours. Visitors hoping for a scare might even start their journey at the airport, where the Dotson graves lie beneath the wheels of landing planes, adding a bit of mystery to every arrival in this historic city.

Conclusion

The Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport may appear ordinary, but it holds a special piece of Georgia’s history beneath its runway. The graves of Richard and Catherine Dotson remain a symbol of the land’s past, even as planes soar overhead, connecting the past with the present. Their presence adds to Savannah’s rich history, blending stories of the supernatural with everyday life.