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67-530: The historic site is off U.S. Highway 64 on the north end of Roanoke Island , North Carolina , about 3 miles (4.8 km) north of the town of Manteo . The visitor center's museum contains exhibits about the history of the English expeditions and colonies, the Roanoke Colony , and the island's Civil War history and Freedmen's Colony (1863-1867). The Union Army occupied the island in 1862 and soon established

134-519: A contraband camp for slave refugees. It founded the Roanoke Island Freedmen's Colony in 1863 to be self-sustaining. The free residents of the colony were allocated plots of land by household, paid by the Army for work, and educated with the help of Northern teachers. By 1864 the colony had more than 2200 freedpeople as residents. It had a sawmill, fisheries and 600 cabins. More than 150 freedmen from

201-601: A Book, as we do; the Truth of which is confirm'd by gray Eyes being found frequently amongst these Indians, and no others. They value themselves extremely for their Affinity to the English, and are ready to do them all friendly Offices. It is probable, that this Settlement miscarry'd for want of timely Supplies from England; or thro' the Treachery of the Natives, for we may reasonably suppose that

268-523: A Native American he named Raleigh , leaving fifteen soldiers to guard the fort. The soldiers were later killed or driven away by a Roanoke raid led by Wanchese. In 1587, the English tried to settle Roanoke Island again, this time led by John White . At that time the Secotan Tribe and their Roanoke dependents were totally hostile to the English, but the Croatoan remained friendly. Manteo remained aligned with

335-530: A chance to develop a community of former slaves. The US government was developing policies related to the future of the formerly enslaved in freedom. Congregational chaplain Horace James was appointed as superintendent of the colony and of other contraband camps in North Carolina. With a view to making it self-sustaining, he had a sawmill built, and freedmen were allotted lands to cultivate. Those who worked for

402-479: A merchant, in 1676. The property was then sold and divided to a series of merchants from Boston (then part of the Massachusetts Bay Colony ). Ownership by distant, far-away property holders continued until at least the 1750s. A Bostonian by the name of Bletcher Noyes gave power of attorney of his property to local William Daniels. English legal documents indicate the actual presence of settlers in 1676, with

469-515: A palisaded town with nine houses made of cedar bark on the far north end of Roanoke Island. According to historian David Stick, this second village was based on hunting land animals. All Roanoke Island villages were likely outlying tributaries of the Secotan's capital, Dasamonguepeuk , located on the western shore of the Croatan Sound on the modern-day mainland of Dare County. At the time of contact with

536-590: A seasonal fishing village for 1500 years before English colonial settlement. Ancestors of the Algonquian -speaking Roanoke are believed to have coalesced as a people in about 400 CE, based on archeology and linguistics. Roanoke Island was the site of the Roanoke Colony , an English settlement initially established in 1585 by Sir Walter Raleigh . A group of about 120 men, women and children arrived in 1587. Shortly after arriving here, colonist Eleanor Dare, daughter of Governor John White , gave birth to Virginia Dare ,

603-559: A small trading post where goods were transported across the Croatan Sound. Unlike inland North Carolina, the British authorities made no roads within or nearby Roanoke and the Tidewater region of North Carolina was avoided entirely. The development of colonial Roanoke Island also depended on the natural opening and closing of inlets on Bodi and Hatteras Islands to its east. As at other times, the Island

670-568: A temple. Tooth decay and diseases, including syphilis , were present in the community. It is extremely likely that the Roanoke had similar beliefs to the Virginian Algonquin tribes in that their great warriors and kings lived on in the afterlife, but that commoners lived only a mortal existence. English maps and written accounts attest to other indigenous villages on Roanoke Island prior to European contact . Englishman Arthur Barlowe described

737-512: Is the county seat of Dare County. Fort Raleigh National Historic Site is on the north end of the island. The island has a land area of 17.95 square miles (46.5 km ) and a population of 6,724 as of the 2000 census . Today U.S. Highway 64 , a major highway, connects mainland North Carolina to the Outer Banks , as well as Roanoke Island. The island has recreational and water features, plus historical sites and an outdoor theater that form one of

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804-645: The American Colonies from Southern English parishes such as Kent , Middlesex and the West Country . Upon the creation of the Royal British Province of North Carolina in 1729, Roanoke Island became part of Currituck County . During the rule of the Lord Proprietors, Roanoke Island had been a part of the earlier Currituck Parish. It was during this time that historical families arrived including

871-683: The Historic Sites Act of 1935. As with all historic areas administered by the National Park Service , the site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 15, 1966. Fort Raleigh is co-managed with two other Outer Banks parks, Wright Brothers National Memorial and Cape Hatteras National Seashore . It is the location of the group headquarters at the northern end of Roanoke Island. The cooperative agreement of 1941 allows RIHA to stage theatrical performances in

938-636: The Iroquois Confederation . The North Carolina descendants continued to carry some native customs until 1900 and now live in the Inner Banks of North Carolina . Some in the former Croatoan Tribe went to Hatteras Island prior to 1650, maintained good relations with the English and were granted a reservation in 1759. Descendants of the Croatoan-Hatteras tribes later merged with English communities. The 2000 federal census found that 83 descendants from

1005-719: The Outer Banks . To the north of the Roanoke Sound lies the Albemarle Sound and to the south lies the Pamlico Sound . One bridge, which carries U.S. Route 64 , crosses the sound. In a historical context, this was also the name first given to the present-day body of water known as the Albemarle Sound. That body of water was initially named the Sea of Rawnocke (Roanoke), or Roanoke Sea, by European explorers and later appeared on maps as

1072-826: The Powhatan Tribe and the Virginia Colony that took place in 1646. Settlers from Virginia drove the Secotan Tribe out of Outer Banks region. Survivors of the conflict fled southwards, forming the Machapunga tribe. The Machapunga fought alongside the Tuscarora Indians in the Tuscarora War (1711-1715). After their defeat in the conflict, most Machapunga settled and adapted to English lifestyles around Hyde County , North Carolina, other Machapunga fled northwards to join

1139-568: The Secotan tribe's chieftain Wingina and effectively cutting off the colony's primary food source. As a result, when Sir Francis Drake put in at Roanoke after attacking the Spanish colony of St. Augustine , the entire population abandoned the colony and returned with Drake to England. Sir Richard Grenville later arrived with supplies, only to find Lane's colony abandoned. Grenville returned to England with

1206-697: The War of 1812 the British Royal Navy planned for an Invasion of North Carolina's Outer Banks. The invasion was aborted on Hattaras Island because it was deemed there was nothing worthwhile for the British to occupy or pillage. The force then moved northward to attack Chesapeake Bay communities in Virginia. Roanoke Island continued its isolation until authorities of the Confederate States of America hastily prepared Roanoke Island to defend Coastal North Carolina from

1273-561: The 16th century settlement by Raleigh, was developed at the island during the American Civil War . After Union forces took over the island in 1862, enslaved African Americans migrated there for relative freedom. The military considered them contraband and would not return them to Confederate slaveholders. The Army established the Roanoke Island Freedmen's Colony in 1863. In part it became an important social experiment , as

1340-719: The Army were paid wages. When the United States Colored Troops were founded in 1863, many men from the colony enlisted. A corps of Northern teachers was sponsored by the American Missionary Association , and they taught hundreds of students of all ages at the colony. The North Carolina Coast began to shape into its present form as the Outer Banks Barrier Islands. Previously, the North Carolina Coast had extended 50 miles eastward to

1407-488: The Army. He established a sawmill on the island and a fisheries, and began to market the many highly skilled crafts by freed people artisans. James believed the colony was a critical social experiment in free labor and a potential model for resettling freedmen on their own lands. Northern missionary teachers, mostly women from New England , journeyed to the island to teach reading and writing to both children and adults, who were eager for education. A total of 27 teachers served

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1474-473: The Basnights, Daniels, Ehteridge, Owens, Tillets and others. Ownership at first belonged to the original Lord Proprietors, who had never visited the area even as Englishmen arrived and began to build houses. The Island was owned by both Carolina Governor Sam'L Stevens and Virginian Governor Sir William Berkley. Berkley inherited the island by marrying Steven's widow in 1670, and then sold the island to Joshua Lamb,

1541-547: The English and attempted to bring the English and his Croatoan tribe together, even after the newcomers mistakenly killed his mother, who was also the Croatoan chief. After the incident Manteo was baptized into the Anglican Church . Manteo was then assigned by the English to be representative of all of the Native nations in the region; this title was mainly symbolic, as only the Croatoan nation followed Manteo. John White , father of

1608-605: The English first arrived in 1584, they were accompanied by a Croatoan native and a Roanoke native called Manteo and Wanchese respectively. The two men made history as the first two Native Americans to visit the Kingdom of England as distinguished guests. For over a year they resided in London. On the return journey, the two men witnessed English pirates plundering the Spanish West Indies . English Scientist Thomas Harriot recorded

1675-491: The English inspired the names of Roanoke's towns. The first attempted settlement was headed by Ralph Lane in 1585. Sir Richard Grenville had transported the colonists to Virginia and returned to England for supplies as planned. The colonists were desperately in need of supplies, and Grenville's return was delayed. While awaiting his return, the colonists relied heavily upon a local Algonquian tribe. In an effort to gain more food supplies, Lane led an unprovoked attack, killing

1742-578: The English were forced to cohabit with them, for Relief and Conversation; and that in process of Time, they conform'd themselves to the Manners of their Indian Relations." Lawson, John (1709). A New Voyage to Carolina . University of North Carolina Press (1984). pp. 68–69. ISBN   9780807841266 . From the time of the disappearance of the Lost Colony in 1587 to the Battle of Roanoke Island in 1862, Roanoke

1809-555: The English, the Roanoke were estimated to have numbered from 5,000 to 10,000 members. The Roanoke Tribe, like many other tribes in the area, was loyal to the Secotan . In 1584, Wingina was their king. Roanoke Island was the site of the 16th-century Roanoke Colony , the first English colony in the New World . It was located in what was then called Virginia , named in honor of England's ruling monarch and "Virgin Queen", Elizabeth I . When

1876-664: The Mount Pleasant Culture had a village on the Tillett Site in southern Roanoke Island, within the modern-day Wanchese township. After the year 800 AD, the village was occupied by the Colington Culture, a predecessor to the historic Roanoke tribe, who were encountered by the 1584 English Expedition. The Roanoke people of the Tillett site had a semi-seasonal lifestyle: they inhabited the area from early Spring to early Fall, and

1943-495: The Roanoke and Hatteras Tribe lived in Dare County. Others lived in the states of New York , Maryland , and Virginia . With Roanoke Island open for settlement, English Virginians moved from Tidewater Virginia to Northeast North Carolina's Albremarle Region. In 1665, The Carolina Charter established the colony of Carolina under a rule of landowners called the Lord Proprietors. Carolina under its original name Carolana included

2010-516: The Tilliet site indicates that the Roanoke population persisted until 1650. Written accounts indicate visible remnants of the final native presence which survived long after the end of the island's native population. A large mound 200 feet tall and 600 feet wide was recorded to exist in Wanchese in the early 1900s; now little evidence remains. The 1650 extinction date corresponds with the final war between

2077-673: The Waterside Theatre, also on park property. Within the historic site are the Elizabethan Gardens , managed by the Garden Club of North Carolina, created as a memorial to the first colonists and as an example of a period garden. The gardens cover more than 10 acres (4.0 ha) and include a replica Tudor gate house. There is a separate fee for the gardens. Over 500 species of plants are artfully tended on 10.5 acres of scenic waterfront property. This beautiful Outer Banks attraction

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2144-570: The abandoned settlement as "The Lost Colony." In the book A New Voyage to Carolina (1709), the explorer John Lawson claimed that the ruins of the Lost Colony were still visible: The first Discovery and Settlement of this Country was by the Procurement of Sir Walter Raleigh, in Conjunction with some publick-spirited Gentlemen of that Age, under the Protection of Queen Elizabeth; for which Reason it

2211-519: The colonist Eleanor Dare and grandfather to Virginia Dare , the first English child born in the New World, left the colony to return to England for supplies. He expected to return to Roanoke Island within three months. By this time, England itself was under threat of a massive Spanish invasion , and all ships were confiscated for use in defending the English Channel. White's return to Roanoke Island

2278-413: The colony were among the nearly 4000 freedmen from North Carolina who served with the United States Colored Troops . The colony is commemorated with a marble monument erected at the fort site in 2001 by Dare County. The Fort Raleigh historic site is home to Paul Green 's outdoor symphonic drama, The Lost Colony . This work about the earliest colonists has been performed in the Waterside Theatre during

2345-536: The development of Native American cultures on Roanoke Island corresponded with cultures occurring in the Coastal Plain of North Carolina. Around the year 400 AD, the area experienced an environmental transformation. The sand dune of Roanoke became disconnected from the mainland by water, and inlets in the Outer Banks turned freshwater sounds ( lagoons ) into brackish ecosystems . The land termed Roanoke Ridge became Roanoke Island. From approximately 460 AD to 800 AD,

2412-578: The east. Archaeological discoveries at the Tillett site in Wanchese, North Carolina , have dated the human occupation of Roanoke Island's land to 8,000 B.C. At the time, Native Americans across North America were developing in the Archaic Period . Archaeologists discovered that the land of Roanoke Island was part of the Mainland when it was first inhabited by the first Native Americans. For thousands of years,

2479-459: The edge of the continental shelf. The melting of Northern Hemisphere Glaciers at least 14,000 years ago caused sea levels to rise. The Outer Banks and, by extension, the land of Roanoke Island began to stabilize around 6,000 B.C. Roanoke Island was originally a large dune ridge facing the Atlantic coastline and therefore is not a barrier island, contrasting with Bodie Island , which exists 2 miles to

2546-492: The first English child born in North America. Governor White returned to England later that year for supplies. Due to impending war with Spain, White was unable to return to Roanoke Island until 1590. When he arrived, the colony had vanished. The fate of those first colonists remains a mystery to this day. Much speculation formed about their fate. Archaeologists , historians , and other researchers continue to work to resolve

2613-724: The invading Unionist Navy and Army. After passing by Cape Hatteras Union forces attacked Roanoke Island in 1862. Main Articles: Battle of Roanoke Island and Freedmen's Colony of Roanoke Island During the American Civil War , the Confederacy fortified the island with three forts. The Battle of Roanoke Island (February 7–8, 1862) was an incident in the Union North Carolina Expedition of January to July 1862, when Brigadier General Ambrose E. Burnside landed an amphibious force and took Confederate forts on

2680-429: The island, with a core group of about six. The colony and Union troops had difficulty with overcrowding, poor sanitation, limited food and disease in its last year. The freedmen had found that the soil was too poor to support subsistence farming for so many people. In late 1865 after the end of the war, the Army dismantled the forts on Roanoke. In 1865, President Andrew Johnson issued an "Amnesty Proclamation," ordering

2747-625: The island. Afterward, the Union Army retained the three Confederate forts, renaming them for the Union generals who had commanded the winning forces: Huger became Fort Reno; Blanchard became Fort Parke; and Bartow became Fort Foster. After the Confederacy lost the forts, the Confederate Secretary of War , Judah P. Benjamin , resigned. Roanoke Island was occupied by Union forces for the duration of

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2814-576: The major tourist attractions of Dare County. The residents of Roanoke Island are governed by the Dare County Board of Commissioners . They are located within North Carolina's 1st congressional district . The island was named by English colonists after the Roanoke indigenous people who resided here for generations, at least 800 years prior to the arrival of the English in the New World. The meaning of

2881-689: The mystery. Visitors to the Fort Raleigh National Historic Site can watch The Lost Colony , the second-longest-running outdoor theatre production in the United States, which presents a conjecture about the decline of Roanoke Colony. Roanoke Island is one of the three oldest surviving English place-names in the U.S. Along with the Chowan and Neuse rivers, it was named in 1584 by Captains Philip Amadas and Arthur Barlowe , sent by Sir Walter Raleigh . Another colony, more populous than

2948-466: The name of their destination, with a Maltese cross if they left due to danger. "Croatoan" was the name of an island to the south (modern-day Hatteras Island ) where the Croatoan people, still friendly to the English, were known to live. However, foul weather kept White from venturing south to Croatoan to search for the colonists, so he returned to England. White never returned to the New World. Unable to determine exactly what happened, people referred to

3015-407: The natives on Hatteras island claimed to be descendants of "white people" and had inherited physical markers relating them to Europeans that no other tribe encountered on his journey shared: A farther Confirmation of this we have from the Hatteras Indians, who either then lived on Roanoke Island, or much frequented it. These tell us, that several of their Ancestors were white People, and could talk in

3082-407: The other barrier islands of the Outer Banks . The Roanoke likely also exported the shells and white beads made from them to other distant cultures across the continent. For millennia, this island was a site of ancient indigenous settlements. Archeological excavations in 1983 at the Tillett Site at Wanchese have revealed evidence of various cultures dating back to 8000 BC. Wanchese was used as

3149-480: The possibility that the first Englishmen had made permanent homes much earlier. There were no incorporated towns until Manteo was founded in 1899. From the 1650s to the Civil War period, the Virginia settlers developed a distinct Hoi Toider dialect across the Outer Banks . The island was ill-suited for commercial agriculture or for a deep water port and remained isolated with little interference from outsiders. The nearby community of Manns Harbor came into being as

3216-467: The potential to be a model for a new society in which African Americans would have freedom. In addition to serving the original residents and recent migrants, the Roanoke Island Freedmen's Colony was to be a refuge for the families of freedmen who enlisted in the Union Army as United States Colored Troops . By 1864, there were more than 2200 freedmen on the island. Under James, the freedmen were allocated plots of land per household, and paid for work for

3283-406: The return of property by the Union Army to former Confederate landowners. Most of the 100 contraband camps in the South were on former Confederate land. At Roanoke Island, the freedmen had never been given title to their plots, and the land was reverted to previous European-American owners. Roanoke Sound The Roanoke Sound is a sound that separates Roanoke Island from Bodie Island of

3350-416: The sense of awe with which the Native Americans viewed European technology: Many things they sawe with us ... as mathematical instruments, sea compasses ... [and] spring clocks that seemed to goe of themselves - and many other things we had - were so strange unto them, and so farre exceeded their capacities to comprehend the reason and meanes how they should be made and done, that they thought they were rather

3417-426: The summer since 1937, with an interlude during World War II. It is presented by the Roanoke Island Historical Association. Fort Raleigh National Historic Site was established on April 5, 1941, through a transfer of property to the National Park Service under a cooperative agreement with the Roanoke Island Historical Association (RIHA) and Acting Secretary of the Interior Alvin J. Wirtz, using authority provided under

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3484-422: The territory of modern North and South Carolina. Early organized English towns in North Carolina include Elizabeth City and Edenton . Pioneers crossed southwards across the Albremarle Sound to settle in Roanoke Island. They came primarily to establish fishing communities but also practiced forms of subsistence agriculture on the Northern parts of Roanoke Island. Most of the Pioneers had originally immigrated to

3551-402: The time of English colonization . About 8 miles (13 km) long and 2 miles (3.2 km) wide, the island lies between the mainland and the barrier islands near Nags Head . Albemarle Sound lies on its north, Roanoke Sound on the eastern, Croatan Sound on the west, and Wanchese CDP lies at the southern end. The town of Manteo is located on the northern portion of the island, and

3618-422: The usage of the word Rawrenock in the Algonquin Powhowaten language. Cuscarawaoke, where is made so much Rawranoke or white beads that occasion as much dissention among the savages, as gold and silver amongst Christians .... In the context of the quote, Rawranoke refers to the items being traded, not the people. The Roanoke people became known by the English for trading shells prevalent at Roanoke Island and

3685-439: The village was primarily based on fishing. During this yearly period, inhabitants consumed chiefly shellfish. Oysters and clams were the most common food sources, and the people left middens of shells that demonstrated their consumption. Roanoke women also gathered acorns and hackberry nuts to supplement their diets. The hunting of deer was relatively common, while the consumption of turtles was relatively rare. Lithium used for tools

3752-435: The war, through 1865. The African slaves from the island and the mainland of North Carolina fled to the Union-occupied area with hopes of gaining freedom. By 1863, numerous former slaves were living on the fringe of the Union camp. The Union Army had classified the former enslaved as " contrabands ," and determined not to return them to Confederate slaveholders. The freedmen founded churches in their settlement and started what

3819-403: The winter. The attraction is also a popular Outer Banks wedding venue thanks to its romantic ambiance and idyllic views. Roanoke Island Roanoke Island ( / ˈ r oʊ ə n oʊ k / ) is an island in Dare County , bordered by the Outer Banks of North Carolina . It was named after the historical Roanoke , a Carolina Algonquian people who inhabited the area in the 16th century at

3886-430: The word Roanoke is derived from the Powhatan language , which was geographically close to the Roanoke. Roanoke means "white beads made from shells" (or more literally "things rubbed smooth by hand"). White beads were used as ornaments and currency among the Coastal Algonquian peoples of Virginia and North Carolina . John Smith , an English explorer and one of the first governors of Jamestown , Virginia , recorded

3953-442: The works of gods than men. Manteo took especially great interest in Western culture , learning the English language and helping Harriot create a phonetic transcription for the Croatoan language. By contrast, Wanchese came to see the English as his captors; upon returning home in 1585, he urged his people to resist colonization at all costs. The legacy of the two Indians and their distinct roles as collaborators and antagonists to

4020-504: Was also struck by deadly hurricanes . During the Revolutionary War there were eight recorded encounters fought in nearby Hatteras, Ocracoke and the High Seas. These battles were between local privateers from Edenton against the British Royal Navy . The Royal Navy often had little place to rest during their coastal patrol duty. On August 15, 1776, a British patrol sent foragers to the now extinct Roanoke Inlet in modern-day Nags Head to steal cattle. The Outer Banks Independent Company who

4087-420: Was built in the mid 20th century to honor Queen Elizabeth I. Stepping into the Elizabethan Gardens is like stepping into a time machine. History buffs and horticulturists alike will enjoy the Renaissance statues hidden throughout the garden and the intricate Elizabethan-style buildings. The garden is open daily year round and holds seasonal events such as educational tours in the summer and holiday light displays in

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4154-423: Was delayed until 1590, by which time all the colonists had disappeared. The whereabouts of Wanchese and Manteo after the 1587 settlement attempt were also unknown. The only clue White found was the word "CROATOAN" carved into a post, as well as the letters "CRO" carved into a tree. Before leaving the colony three years earlier, White had left instructions that if the colonists left the settlement, they were to carve

4221-411: Was guarding Roanoke Island killed and/or captured the entire party. This battle, while not on Roanoke Island itself, was less than three miles away. Skirmishes involving ships continued until 1780 but no large land battles occurred in the area. Roanoke Island itself was largely spared from war violence and independence for the United States had little effect on local residents. Thirty years later during

4288-444: Was largely isolated due to its weather and geography. Sand shoals on the Outer Banks and the North American continental shelf made navigation dangerous, and the lack of a deep-water harbor prevented Roanoke from becoming a major colonial port. Also see: Province of Carolina and Province of North Carolina After the failure of the English Roanoke Colony, Native peoples inhabited the island for seventy more years. Archaeology from

4355-428: Was likely the first free school for blacks in North Carolina. Horace James , an experienced Congregational chaplain, was appointed by the US Army in 1863 as "Superintendent for Negro Affairs in the North Carolina District." He was responsible for the Trent River contraband camp at New Bern, North Carolina , where he was based. He also was ordered to create a self-sustaining colony at Roanoke Island and thought it had

4422-453: Was maintained but not produced on the island and likely came from Bodie Island instead. Roanoke Indians had smoking pipes and used the seeds of plants such as Cleaver and Plantain for medicinal purposes. Four burials have been found at the site of Roanoke Indians of various social positions. The nobility of the culture had their skin and other soft parts of the body removed prior to burial, and after burial, preserved bodies would be transported to

4489-453: Was then named Virginia, being begun on that Part called Ronoak-Island, where the Ruins of a Fort are to be seen at this day, as well as some old English Coins which have been lately found; and a Brass-Gun, a Powder-Horn, and one small Quarter deck-Gun, made of Iron Staves, and hoop'd with the same Metal; which Method of making Guns might very probably be made use of in those Days, for the Convenience of Infant-Colonies. Lawson also claimed

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