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The Mystery of the Lost Colony of Roanoke

  • Writer: Debbie Brown
    Debbie Brown
  • Sep 17
  • 3 min read

Updated: Sep 18

Our Digital Display series will explore turning points in American history. From the struggles of the earliest European settlers to the impact of social media on every day life, we will look at the decision, events, and discoveries that have influenced our world today.


“When he returned in 1590, the settlement was gone. No bodies, no graves—only one word carved into a post: CROATOAN.”

A Dream of a New World


Before Jamestown or Plymouth, England had already tried to plant its flag in the New World. In 1584, Sir Walter Raleigh received a charter from Queen Elizabeth I to establish colonies across the Atlantic. Raleigh never traveled himself, but he sent explorers to scout the land.


They returned with glowing reports of fertile soil, abundant wildlife, and seemingly friendly Native peoples. It sounded like the perfect chance to expand England’s reach.


Map courtesy of Smithsonian magazine
Map courtesy of Smithsonian magazine

First Footsteps on Roanoke


In 1585, Sir Richard Grenville led the first attempt at colonization on Roanoke Island, bringing with him scientists and artists like Thomas Harriot and John White. White sketched the local landscapes and Native people, leaving us some of the earliest European images of America.


But life was far from idyllic. The settlers quickly ran short on food. At first, the Secotan people helped them, but strained relations turned hostile after skirmishes and violence. By 1586, starving colonists abandoned the settlement and sailed back to England with Sir Francis Drake.

John White’s watercolors captured Roanoke’s wildlife and Native inhabitants—glimpses of a fragile beginning.
John White’s watercolors captured Roanoke’s wildlife and Native inhabitants—glimpses of a fragile beginning.

A Second Attempt: Families This Time


Raleigh tried again in 1587, but this time the mission was different. Instead of soldiers, John White led 115 settlers—men, women, and children—hoping to build a community. Among them was White’s daughter, Eleanor Dare, who gave birth to Virginia Dare, the first English child born in the Americas.


But the settlers’ struggles returned quickly. Food was scarce, Native alliances were uncertain, and the threat of attack loomed. Desperate, White sailed back to England for supplies.

🟦 Sidebar: Virginia Dare – Symbol of Hope and Loss Born in 1587, Virginia Dare became the first English child born in America. Her mysterious fate turned her into a haunting figure of legend, inspiring folklore, novels, and even modern-day commemorations.

The Vanishing


When White finally returned in 1590—delayed by England’s war with Spain—he found the settlement deserted. The houses were dismantled, and the only clue was carved into a wooden post: “CROATOAN.”


White believed the colonists had moved to Croatoan Island (today’s Hatteras Island), but storms and dwindling supplies forced him to abandon the search. He never saw his family again.

“CROATOAN was the only certain token or certain note of their being there left.” — John White, 1590

Theories Behind the Disappearance


For more than 400 years, the fate of the Lost Colony has baffled historians:

  • Integration with Native Tribes – The colonists may have joined the Croatan people.

  • Spanish Attack – Spanish patrols from Florida may have destroyed the settlement.

  • Relocation Gone Wrong – The settlers might have moved inland toward the Chesapeake Bay and perished.


Legacy of a Vanished Colony


The story of Roanoke has never stopped haunting American history. Its disappearance became a cautionary tale that influenced the creation of Jamestown. Colonists learned they needed better supply lines, stronger defenses, and careful diplomacy with Native peoples.


Today, archaeologists still dig along North Carolina’s coast, searching for the missing trail of those 115 men, women, and children. The mystery endures, making Roanoke not just a lost colony—but an American legend.

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Visit the library to find more resources on the Lost Colony of Roanoke.


Resources


Andrews, E. (2018, August 13). What happened to the lost colony of Roanoke? History. https://www.history.com/news/what-happened-to-the-lost-colony-of-roanoke


Kupperman, K. O. (2007). Roanoke: The abandoned colony (2nd ed.). Rowman & Littlefield.


Miller, L. (2020, August 18). The mystery of Roanoke endures. National Geographic. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/the-mystery-of-roanoke-endures


National Park Service. (2021). Roanoke Colony. U.S. Department of the Interior. https://www.nps.gov/places/roanoke-colony.htm


Quinn, D. B. (1991). The Roanoke voyages, 1584–1590: Documents to illustrate the English voyages to North America under the patent granted to Walter Raleigh in 1584 (Vol. 2). Dover Publications.

 
 
 

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