• News
  • Life
  • TV & Film
  • Beauty
  • Style
  • Home
  • News
    • Celebrity
    • Entertainment
    • Politics
    • Royal Family
  • Life
    • Animals
    • Food & Drink
    • Women's Health
    • Mental Health
    • Sex & Relationships
    • Travel
    • Real Life
  • TV & Film
    • True Crime
    • Documentaries
    • Netflix
    • BBC
    • ITV
    • Tyla Recommends
  • Beauty
    • Hair
    • Make-up
    • Skincare
  • Style
    • Home
    • Fashion
    • Shopping
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
TikTok
Submit Your Content
Unbelievable reason there’s two people buried under airport runway

Home> News

Published 16:02 1 Jul 2025 GMT+1

Unbelievable reason there’s two people buried under airport runway

The graves have been there since the late 1880s

Emily Puckering

Emily Puckering

If you ever find yourself heading to Georgia in the US, and opt to fly to Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport, you may notice two oddly placed grey rectangles on one of the runways.

Well, these rectangles aren't just odd patches of the tarmac, like many passengers assume - they are the graves of two people who died in the late 1800s.

But why exactly do they remain at Georgia's second largest airport?

The graves, which are located at the edge of runway 10 and 28, lay to rest Catherine and Richard Dotson, the two original owners of the land that the airport is built on.

Advert

They were both born back in 1779 and would go on to farm the land - known at the time as Cherokee Hills - together. They were married for 50 years up until Catherine's death in 1877.

An airport in the US contains the graves of two people who died in the late 1800s (Getty Stock Image)
An airport in the US contains the graves of two people who died in the late 1800s (Getty Stock Image)

Richard died seven years later in 1884, and he was laid to rest next to his wife in the family cemetery which held about 100 graves, including those of slaves, the Savannah Morning News reports.

After resting peacefully for a few decades, World War II was on the horizon and in 1942, the US military needed a place to land its B-24 'Liberators' and B-17 'Flying Fortresses'.

Advert

A lease was negotiated between the federal government and the City of Savannah for 1,100 acres, at what is now Savannah/Hilton Head International, the airport's website explains.

These acres ended up being right on top of the cemetery, meaning almost all of the graves were relocated to another local cemetery.

However, the Dotson’s relatives didn't consent to the graves of Catherine and Richard being touched and moved, as they felt that it would have been the couple's wish to remain in the land that they cultivated for most of their lives.

The resting places of Catherine and Richard Dotson remain at Savannah/Hilton Head Airport (Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport)
The resting places of Catherine and Richard Dotson remain at Savannah/Hilton Head Airport (Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport)

Advert

This gave developers no choice but to pave over the graves, and build a runway right on top of them.

As a mark of respect, markers were placed in their honor.

Catherine and Richard's grave sites - along with two beloved relatives, Daniel Hueston and John Dotson - continue to be the only ones in the world embedded in an active 9,350 foot runway, serving thousands of general and commercial aviation operations yearly.

So, if you're ever flying into Savannah, make sure to keep your eyes peeled for this unique resting place.

Featured Image Credit: Instagram/@savhhiairport / Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport

Topics: Travel, US News

Emily Puckering
Emily Puckering

Emily is a sub-editor at LADbible Group. With degrees in English Language and Multimedia Journalism, she works with the editorial team on LADbible, UNILAD and Tyla sub-editing and writing articles. And for those who are interested, Emily is from East Yorkshire which means she makes a cracking cuppa.

X

@emily_puckering

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

10 hours ago
11 hours ago
12 hours ago
  • 10 hours ago

    'Weird' last text message Idaho college murders victim sent to twin sister just hours before being brutally killed

    Bryan Kohberger murdered four University of Idaho students in November 2022

    News
  • 11 hours ago

    Prince George makes extremely rare public comment during Wimbledon appearance

    The young royal attended Wimbledon with his parents, the Prince and Princess of Wales and his sister, Princess Charlotte

    News
  • 11 hours ago

    Donald Trump just defunded life-saving women’s health service to give billionaires a tax break

    The bill will 'effectively defund' a medical institution, with almost a third set to close their doors if the legislation goes ahead

    News
  • 12 hours ago

    US citizen dies from the plague less than 24 hours after showing symptoms

    The Arizona residents' identity is being kept quiet by officials 'out of respect for their family'

    News
  • Brave tourists can now be sent to unbelievable holiday location for under £100 but there’s one catch
  • Grim theory behind why Donald Trump’s ex Ivana is buried at his golf club
  • North Korea announces launch of beach resort for unexpected reason and guests are expected to arrive very soon
  • Real reason there’s still ‘no smoking’ signs on planes despite being banned three decades ago