The English Colony That Vanished Without a Trace in 1500s North Carolina

Roanoke Island

In 1587, John White left his daughter and newborn granddaughter on Roanoke Island while he sailed back to England for supplies. When he returned three years later, the entire settlement was empty. Not a single soul remained.

Here’s what happened to the Lost Colony of Roanoke.

England’s First Foothold In The New World

Two ships landed on the shores of Roanoke Island in July 1584. The men planted England’s flag in the sandy soil and claimed this land for their country.

Philip Amadas and Arthur Barlowe spent weeks talking with the native tribes who lived there. They even took two natives, Manteo and Wanchese, back to England with them.

Queen Elizabeth was pleased. This small island between the mainland and the ocean would become England’s first try at settling in America.

When The First Colony Failed

A year later, 100 men sailed to Roanoke Island to start a colony. They built a small dirt fort for protection and tried to make a life on this strange shore.

Food ran out quickly. The men fought with nearby tribes when they demanded more corn. The friendly welcome they first received soon turned to anger and mistrust.

After just one year, these settlers gave up. When Francis Drake stopped by in 1586, they all climbed aboard his ships and sailed home to England.

Virginia Dare’s Historic Birth

A baby’s first cry rang out on August 18, 1587. Eleanor Dare had just given birth to a little girl named Virginia, the first English baby born in America.

This second group of settlers included women and children, not just men like before. Virginia’s grandfather, John White, was in charge of these 117 people.

Her birth gave the settlers hope. Unlike the first failed try, these families came to stay and build homes that would last for generations.

The Governor’s Desperate Journey

Just ten days after his granddaughter was born, John White had to leave. The colony needed more supplies, but nobody wanted to make the dangerous trip back to England.

White kissed his daughter and new granddaughter goodbye. He told the settlers to carve a message on a tree if they had to move while he was gone.

What should have been a few months turned into years. War between England and Spain kept White from returning to his family and the colony he left behind.

The Mystery Of The Lost Colony

White finally made it back to Roanoke on August 18, 1590 – his granddaughter’s third birthday. But instead of a party, he found an empty settlement.

The houses were gone. No people were there. The only clue was the word “CROATOAN” cut into a post and the letters “CRO” on a tree.

A big storm hit before White could search Croatoan Island where friendly natives lived. He had to sail back to England, never finding out what happened to the 117 missing people.

The Battle That Changed The Island

Guns and cannons shook Roanoke Island on February 7, 1862. General Burnside led Union forces in a huge attack during the Civil War.

His 10,000 men faced only 2,500 Confederate soldiers. After a day of fighting, Colonel Shaw and his men had to give up the island and its three small forts.

This win gave the North control of important waterways. The loss was so bad that the South’s Secretary of War, Judah Benjamin, had to quit his job.

America’s First Freedom Colony

Word spread fast among slaves on the mainland. Union soldiers now controlled Roanoke Island, and they weren’t sending escaped slaves back to their owners.

Hundreds of men, women, and children made their way to the island, risking their lives for a chance at freedom. The Union called them “contraband of war.”

In 1863, the army made it official. They set up the Freedmen’s Colony of Roanoke Island – one of the first places where freed slaves could build their own community.

Building A New Life In Freedom

The newly freed people got to work right away. They built two churches and a school in the first month, eager to learn to read and write after years of being denied education.

They worked for pay for the first time – as builders, fishermen, cooks, and laborers. Northern teachers came to help run schools for both children and adults.

By 1864, over 2,200 freed people lived on the island in about 560 homes. They had a sawmill, fishing boats, and farms – all things they couldn’t own as slaves.

When Black Men Answered The Call

More than 150 men from the colony joined the Union Army. They put on blue uniforms and became soldiers in the United States Colored Troops.

These men fought for the country that had just freed them. Their families stayed behind in the colony, proud but worried for their safety.

Their service helped the Union win the war, but it also weakened the colony. Many of the strongest workers were gone, making survival harder for those left behind.

The Broken Promise

When the war ended in 1865, the government made a terrible decision. All land taken during the war would go back to the original white owners.

The freed people who built homes had no legal right to stay. The army cut food rations and stopped helping the colony that was struggling to feed itself.

By 1867, the Freedmen’s Colony was officially closed. The government’s promise of land and a new start lasted just four short years.

The Legacy That Lived On

Not everyone left when the colony ended. About 60 families found ways to stay on the island they now called home.

In 1868, eleven former slaves pooled their money and bought 200 acres of Roanoke Island land. This time, they had legal deeds that couldn’t be taken away.

Their descendants still live on the island today. In 2001, a marble monument was built at Fort Raleigh to honor what these brave people started.

Visiting Roanoke Island

Fort Raleigh National Historic Site sits at the north end of the island. It shows both the Lost Colony and Freedmen’s Colony stories through exhibits and films.

You can walk the same ground where colonists built their fort and freed slaves made new homes.

Every summer since 1937, actors perform “The Lost Colony” drama at the outdoor theater. The site is open all year and sits just outside the town of Manteo.
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