America’s First English Settlement Attempt Ended in Mystery at This North Carolina Landmark

Fort Raleigh National Historic Site, North Carolina

Fort Raleigh isn’t just where English colonization of America began. It’s also where it first failed.

This peaceful spot on Roanoke Island looks ordinary now, but it’s where Native American diplomacy met English ambition, where a baby named Virginia Dare became the first English child born in America, and where an entire colony disappeared into history.

This was America’s first English colony

Fort Raleigh preserves the location of Roanoke Colony, the first English settlement in the present-day United States. You’ll be walking on ground that predates both Jamestown and Plymouth in American colonization history.

The colonists mysteriously vanished without a trace

The colony established between 1584 and 1590 was led by Sir Walter Raleigh, but 116 people disappeared completely. No one has ever definitively discovered what happened to these men, women, and children.

When supply ships finally arrived in 1590, they found only the word “CROATOAN” carved into a fence post and “CRO” on a tree trunk.

The Freedmen’s Colony provided refuge for former slaves

After the Battle of Roanoke Island in 1862, a Freedmen’s Colony was established for formerly enslaved people. This settlement became an important chapter in post-emancipation history.

The Freedmen’s Colony was officially established by Major General John G. Foster on May 14, 1863, following a military order from President Lincoln.

The site has been preserved since the 1800s

The Roanoke Colony Memorial Association purchased and preserved the 16-acre nucleus of the site in 1895. The Dough family, who owned the property from the early 1800s until 1895, refused to farm the “fort tract” itself out of respect for its historical significance.

Colonists Never Meant To Stay On This Island

Roanoke Island wasn’t where the English settlers planned to end up. Sir Walter Raleigh had permission to start a colony in Newfoundland but wanted to go further south for better opportunities.

The first trip in 1584, led by Philip Amadas and Arthur Barlowe, was just to find good spots along the east coast. They actually preferred the Chesapeake Bay area because it had better harbors and routes inland.

Bad storms during the 1585 voyage forced ships to take shelter at Roanoke Island, which was only meant to be temporary.

When the 1587 ‘Lost Colony’ group came over with John White, they were supposed to settle in Chesapeake, but the ship’s pilot refused to take them further north, stranding them at Roanoke.

The site witnessed a Civil War battle

During the American Civil War, Fort Raleigh was the site of the Battle of Roanoke Island. The Union captured the island from the Confederates in February 1862, contributing to Union momentum. The battle lasted two days—February 7-8, 1862—and involved approximately 15,000 Union soldiers against 3,000 Confederate defenders.

North Carolina’s State Boat Was Built Right Here

George Washington Creef of Roanoke Island first designed shad boats in the 1870s specifically for the shallow, choppy Outer Banks waters. Named after the shad fish they were designed to catch, these boats had a unique rounded bottom and could be powered by sail or oar.

In 1987, North Carolina officially named the shad boat as the state historical boat, recognizing how important it was to the area’s culture and economy.

You can see examples of these unique boats in maritime museums throughout the Outer Banks, including the Roanoke Island Maritime Museum in Manteo.

Virginia Dare was born here as the first English baby in America

Virginia Dare was born on August 18, 1587, exactly nine days after the colonists arrived on Roanoke Island. She was the granddaughter of John White, who led the colony and went back to England for supplies shortly after she was born.

When White finally returned in 1590, everyone was gone, with no trace of his granddaughter or any other colonists.

When you visit Fort Raleigh, you’ll cross the Virginia Dare Bridge that connects the mainland to Roanoke Island.

Native Guides Traveled To England In 1584

When the first English explorers landed at Roanoke, they invited two Algonquian guides—Manteo from the Croatoan Tribe and Wanchese from the Roanoac Tribe—to go back to England with them.

These men were the first Native Americans to visit England and helped bridge the cultural gap.

While in England, Manteo and Wanchese learned English and shared information about their homeland with Thomas Harriot, who created a special alphabet to write down their Algonquian language.

They stayed at Durham House in London, where Sir Walter Raleigh lived. When they came back to North America in 1585, they took very different paths.

Manteo stayed friendly with the English and was baptized in 1587, becoming the first recorded Native American Christian. Wanchese grew suspicious of English intentions and later fought against the colonists.

FDR Watched The Outdoor Play In 1937

President Franklin D. Roosevelt visited Fort Raleigh on August 18, 1937. He rode in an open car with Governor Clyde Hoey and Congressman Lindsay C. Warren to see “The Lost Colony” performance. Roosevelt’s visit coincided with the 350th anniversary of Virginia Dare’s birth, highlighting the national significance of the site.

The Lost Colony drama has entertained audiences since 1937

The historic site hosts Paul Green’s outdoor symphonic drama “The Lost Colony.” This performance has run continuously since 1937, except during World War II.

Many actors launched their careers performing in “The Lost Colony.” Andy Griffith, a Manteo local, is the most famous, but Leon Rippy, Chris Elliott, Terrence Mann, and R.G. Armstrong all started here too.

English Settlers Left This Place Twice

Settlers abandoned Roanoke not once, but twice. The first colony from 1585 had problems with local tribes and left with Sir Francis Drake in 1586.

The second try in 1587, with 116 men, women, and children, became the famous ‘Lost Colony’ that vanished. The 1585 group was mostly military, led by Ralph Lane with about 600 soldiers.

After relations with the Roanoac tribe went bad and food ran low, Lane and his men left in June 1586 when Sir Francis Drake stopped at Roanoke while returning from raiding Spanish settlements.

Just weeks after they left, a supply ship sent by Raleigh arrived to find nobody there. Soon after, Sir Richard Grenville arrived with more colonists but, finding it empty, left 15 men to keep an English presence before sailing home.

These 15 men had disappeared when the 1587 colonists arrived, apparently killed in an attack.

Visiting Fort Raleigh National Historic Site

Fort Raleigh National Historic Site sits at 1401 Park Drive in Manteo, NC, on the north end of Roanoke Island. It’s open daily from 9:00am to 5:00pm (6:00pm in summer), with grounds open from sunrise to sunset.

• Free entry (separate fee for Elizabethan Gardens)
• Visitor center museum with artifacts from digs
• Earthen fort, nature trails, Freedom Monument

Call 252-473-2111 or check the National Park Service website for more info.