The couple’s graves have been left there for one particular reason
If you’re strapped in and looking out the window on a plane, about to jet off to a dream holiday destination, the last thing that’ll cross your mind is what’s beneath the runway’s surface.
It’s a very specific thought, but one airport differs from all others when it comes to their tarmac, as there’s actually an element of history to it which they have commemorated.
Well, if you find yourself at the Savannah Hilton Head airport in Georgia, USA on your travels, keep an eye out for a specific detail when you touch down – on the runway, there are two rectangular shapes side by side for an oddly specific reason.
At the edge of runway 10 and 28, there are two graves and just off to the side, there are two more – but why is this?
Two people have been left buried under the tarmac (Instagram/savhhiairport)
Long before airports were even a thought, the land used here belonged to a couple named Catherine and Richard Dotson, who would farm on the land known as Cherokee Hills.
Both born in 1779, they were together for 50 years of marriage before Catherine’s passing in 1877, while Richard followed in 1884.
As with customs of the time, the 19th century couple were buried on their land, next to one another.
That slab of area was actually the family cemetery on their farm, which held around 100 graves, which unfortunately also included the graves of slaves.
The markers on the tarmac at the airport are the grave sites for Catherine and Richard and are over 150 years old.
After the couple passed, and World War II was on the verge of happening, the military at the time were in need of a place to land its B-24 ‘Liberators’ and B-17 ‘Flying Fortresses’.
However, that place was right on top of the cemetery, which meant that they had to move almost all of the graves to Bonaventure Cemetery.
The Dotsons’ descendants have chosen to keep their graves on-site (Savannah Airport)
But not the Dotsons.
This is because their descendants wouldn’t consent to their graves being moved, and 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, there was no choice left but to have the area paved over their graves, so that a runway could be set up.
Though, they did put markers on the graves as a sign of respect to those buried beneath its surface.
But they aren’t the only graves at the airport, as it’s website confirms that two more graves of Dotson relatives, Daniel Hueston and John Dotson are nearby in the brush near the airport’s most active runway.
So, there you go, a little bit of history to get you through your day.
Featured Image Credit: Savannah Airport / Instagram/@savhhiairport
