Two people are buried underneath runway 10/28 at the Savannah Hilton Head International airport, and planes take off and land there every day.
Credit: Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport
There are grave markers for the married couple buried there. His says “at rest” while hers reads “gone home to rest.” They’ve been interred there since the 19th century.
They were farmers in the area. Catherine Dotson died in 1877 and Richard Dotson died in 1884. The family cemetery on that plot of land contained around 100 graves and included slaves.
During World War II the city built a second airport and it was taken over by the U.S. Army Air Corps. The tract of land the city acquired was at one of the highest elevation points in the county.
The new airport land contained the grave sites. All but four bodies were moved. The family objected to moving the Dotson patriarch and his wife. They also objected to moving Daniel Hueston and John Dotson, but those graves are in brush near the runway – not below the runway itself.
To this day descendants of the Dotsons are escorted to visit the two ancestors buried there “though they cannot leave flowers.” Nearly 150 years in, though, the airport says that “really only the markers were left of the graves.” Everything else has disintegrated with time.
Still, there’s much lore surrounding the graves,
“It’s said, that if you are coming in to land just after sundown, two figures will appear just along the north side of the runway,” writes regional airline captain Lisa Ruedy on the web site All Things Aero. … if business is slack air traffic controllers will allow pilots to taxi by to see the graves. They sometimes might switch them to a second frequency for an audio graveyard tour, she said.
Fascinating. If you take a Norwegian Cruise Line trip and stop at their private Bahama island, Great Stirrup Cay, you can ask where the graves are. There are two slightly back from the tourist center, both from the 19th century. One is of the island’s original owner, the other a woman who died on a passing ship. They are properly cared for too.
Wow, that’s wild. Thanks for sharing, Gary. And if you’re staying in Savannah, please consider the Thompson, decent Hyatt redemption, nice rooftop bar/restaurant, great location near the river.
I much enjoyed the Thompson Savannah including its rooftop restaurant.
@Gary Leff — Nice!! Whether you’re visiting the city, or making the long drive from the Northeast down to Florida, it’s a good stop on the way. Much better than a random Courtyard or Holiday Inn off I-95.
How does story in any way help me with travel?
@Steven Merchant, it shows you the location so you can pay respects by standing there during a busy travel weekend you douchebag.
“Two People are Buried Under a Runway at a US Airport, Most Passengers Have No Idea”
And count me as one of them. Fascinating story, Gary. Thanks for sharing!
Gary, for all the crap I talk about you to others and how much we may disagree, this is the stuff that keeps me coming back and reading your blog. WELL DONE. Thank you.
@ Steven Merchant
According to Jewish law, Cohanites are not allowed to go over graves.
So yes, it helps with travel.