Lost Colony of Roanoke

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In 1587, 117 English colonists—men, women, and children—landed on Roanoke Island off the coast of present-day North Carolina. Among them was Virginia Dare, the first English child born in America. Three years later, when a supply ship finally returned, the colony was gone. No bodies. No graves. No signs of struggle. The only clues were the word “CROATOAN” carved on a wooden post and “CRO” scratched on a nearby tree. The Lost Colony of Roanoke remains America’s oldest unsolved mystery—a vanishing act that has spawned four centuries of theories, investigations, and speculation. What happened to those 117 people? Where did they go? Why did they leave no trace? After 435 years, we still don’t know.

The History

England’s New World Ambitions

The Roanoke colony must be understood in its historical context:

The Age of Exploration:

• Spain dominated the New World with wealthy colonies
• England wanted American territories
• Sir Walter Raleigh received a charter from Queen Elizabeth I
• The goal: establish permanent English presence in America

Previous Attempts:

• 1584: Raleigh sent an exploratory expedition
• 1585: First colony attempt (all-male military garrison)
• That colony was abandoned after supply problems
• 1587 would be the serious attempt—with families

The 1587 Colony

The Organizer: John White, artist and experienced explorer

The Mission: Establish a permanent, self-sustaining colony

The Colonists:

• 117 people total
• 90 men, 17 women, 11 children
• Farmers, craftsmen, families
• This was meant to be permanent

The Departure: July 22, 1587, from Plymouth, England

The Arrival: July 1587, Roanoke Island

The Colony’s Brief Life

Establishing the Settlement:

• Colonists landed expecting to find the previous garrison
• Found only bones—likely from skirmishes with natives
• Began rebuilding despite the grim discovery
• Planted crops and constructed buildings

Virginia Dare:

• Born August 18, 1587
• First English child born in America
• Daughter of Eleanor Dare and Ananias Dare
• Granddaughter of John White
• Her fate remains unknown

Relations with Natives:

• The Croatoan people were friendly
• Other tribes were hostile (due to previous English mistreatment)
• Tensions existed from the start
• The colonists were vulnerable

John White’s Departure

The Decision:

• The colony desperately needed supplies
• White agreed to return to England for help
• He departed August 27, 1587
• Expected to return within months

The Agreement:

• If colonists moved, they would carve their destination
• If in danger, they would add a Maltese cross symbol
• White trusted this system would work
• He didn’t know he wouldn’t return for three years

The Three-Year Delay

Why So Long?: Multiple disasters prevented White’s return:

The Spanish Armada (1588):

• England faced invasion threat
• All ships were commandeered for defense
• No vessels available for colonial supply runs
• White was stranded

Failed Attempts:

• 1588: White arranged passage on two small ships
• Pirates attacked; the ships turned back
• 1589: No suitable voyage could be arranged
• White was desperate but helpless

The Wait:

• White worried constantly about his family
• His daughter, granddaughter, and friends were waiting
• Three years of silence
• Three years of hoping

The Discovery

August 18, 1590

John White finally returned to Roanoke on his granddaughter Virginia’s third birthday:

The Approach:

• The ship anchored offshore
• White saw smoke from the island
• He hoped it was the colonists’ fires
• He didn’t know it was just brush fires

The Landing:

• White and a search party went ashore
• They found the settlement area
• The palisade (wooden fence) was still standing
• But something was wrong

What White Found

The Carvings:

• On a post at the entrance: “CROATOAN”
• On a nearby tree: “CRO” (possibly incomplete)
• No Maltese cross (no distress signal)
• The carvings were deliberate

The Settlement:

• Buildings had been dismantled
• Items too heavy to carry were buried
• The colonists had clearly packed and left
• This was not a panicked flight

What Was Missing:

• All 117 colonists
• The small boats
• Most personal possessions
• The cannon and firearms
• All signs of life

What Was Found:

• The palisade fence
• Some buried trunks (White’s, looted by weather/animals)
• Overgrown paths
• Evidence of planned departure

White’s Interpretation

White believed his colonists had moved to Croatoan Island (now Hatteras Island):

His Reasoning:

• “CROATOAN” clearly carved
• No cross meant no emergency
• The Croatoan people were friendly
• The colonists had probably integrated

The Failure to Follow:

• White wanted to sail to Croatoan immediately
• A storm was approaching
• The ship’s captain refused to risk the vessel
• They sailed back to England
• White never returned to search

John White’s Fate

After 1590, White faded from history:

His Last Years:

• He retired to Ireland
• He wrote accounts of his experiences
• He never saw his family again
• He died around 1593

His Legacy:

• His watercolors of Native Americans and nature survive
• His accounts provide our only record of the colony
• He spent his final years haunted by questions
• He never learned what happened

The Theories

The Integration Theory

The Claim: The colonists joined the Croatoan or other native tribes.

Supporting Evidence:

• “CROATOAN” clearly indicated their destination
• The Croatoan were friendly
• Later reports described natives with gray eyes and English words
• The departure seemed planned, not panicked
• Integration was a logical survival strategy

The Lumbee Connection:

• The Lumbee tribe of North Carolina claims descent
• They have traditionally European features
• They spoke English before other contact
• Many Lumbee surnames match colonist names
• DNA studies are ongoing but inconclusive

Problems:

• No definitive archaeological evidence
• The colonists would have been absorbed into native culture
• Genetic evidence is complicated by later mixing
• Why didn’t they leave more obvious signs?

The Massacre Theory

The Claim: The colonists were killed by hostile natives.

Supporting Evidence:

• Relations with some tribes were poor
• The previous garrison had conflicts
• The colonists were vulnerable
• Disappearances were common in colonial America

Problems:

• No bodies or graves were found
• No signs of violence
• The Croatoan people were friendly
• The departure appeared planned
• Where are the remains?

The Spanish Attack Theory

The Claim: Spanish forces from Florida destroyed the colony.

Supporting Evidence:

• Spain considered English colonies a threat
• Spanish expeditions were in the area
• Spain had the military capability
• They had motive to eliminate English presence

Problems:

• No Spanish records mention such an attack
• Spanish colonies were far away
• No evidence of battle
• Why remove all bodies?

The Disease Theory

The Claim: Epidemic disease killed the colonists.

Supporting Evidence:

• Disease was rampant in early colonies
• Europeans brought illnesses natives hadn’t encountered
• But colonists could also die from unfamiliar diseases
• Other colonies were devastated by illness

Problems:

• Wouldn’t explain the careful departure
• Bodies would have remained
• “CROATOAN” suggests movement, not death
• Some would likely have survived

The Starvation/Drought Theory

The Claim: Environmental stress forced desperate measures.

Supporting Evidence:

• Tree ring data shows severe drought in the late 1580s
• The worst drought in 800 years hit the region
• Food production would have collapsed
• The colonists might have scattered seeking food

Problems:

• Doesn’t explain where they went
• Integration seems more likely than mass starvation
• “CROATOAN” suggests a destination, not desperation
• The departure seemed orderly

The Dispersal Theory

The Claim: The colonists split into groups and were absorbed into various tribes.

Supporting Evidence:

• This explains the lack of a single answer
• Small groups would leave fewer traces
• Different tribes reported European influences
• It combines elements of other theories

Modern Support:

• Archaeological finds suggest European presence at multiple sites
• This may be the most likely scenario
• The colonists survived but as individuals, not a colony

The Evidence

What We Know (Verified Facts)

1. 117 colonists arrived in 1587 — Documented by John White
2. Virginia Dare was born August 18, 1587 — First English child in America
3. John White departed August 27, 1587 — To get supplies
4. He returned August 18, 1590 — Three years later
5. The colony was gone — No people, planned departure evident
6. “CROATOAN” was carved — On a post, no distress signal
7. No bodies were found — At the site or nearby

What Remains Unknown

1. Where the colonists went — Despite “CROATOAN,” their destination is uncertain
2. What happened to them — Death, integration, dispersal, or something else
3. Why no better record was left — The carvings are minimal
4. The fate of individuals — Including Virginia Dare
5. Whether any descendants exist — DNA studies continue

Archaeological Investigations

The Dare Stones:

• Stones with carved messages found in the 1930s-40s
• Supposedly from Eleanor Dare describing the colony’s fate
• Most are considered hoaxes
• One stone may be genuine, but authenticity is disputed

Croatoan/Hatteras Island:

• Archaeological digs have found European artifacts
• A signet ring possibly belonging to a colonist
• Evidence of English presence
• But dating is difficult

The “Site X” Finds:

• Analysis of John White’s map revealed a hidden symbol
• Excavations at the location found colonial-era artifacts
• Suggests some colonists may have moved inland
• Research is ongoing

The Site Today

Fort Raleigh National Historic Site

The supposed location of the colony is now preserved:

Location: Roanoke Island, North Carolina

What’s There:

• Reconstructed earthwork fort
• The Elizabethan Gardens
• The Waterside Theatre (home of “The Lost Colony” outdoor drama)
• Visitor center with exhibits

Visiting:

• Open year-round (hours vary)
• Free admission
• The outdoor drama runs summer months
• Beautiful natural setting

The Outdoor Drama

“The Lost Colony”:

• Running since 1937
• America’s longest-running outdoor drama
• Tells the story of the colony
• Performs at Waterside Theatre on Roanoke Island
• A North Carolina tradition

Croatoan/Hatteras Island

The island where colonists supposedly went:

Today: Part of the Outer Banks of North Carolina

Connection: Some residents claim descent from colonists

Visiting: A popular beach destination with deep history

Frequently Asked Questions

What really happened to the Lost Colony?

We don’t know. After 435 years, the fate of the 117 colonists remains uncertain. The most likely explanation is that they integrated with friendly native tribes, particularly the Croatoan, but definitive proof doesn’t exist. They may have dispersed into multiple groups. Whatever happened, they left almost no trace.

What does “CROATOAN” mean?

Croatoan was the name of both a friendly Native American tribe and their island (now called Hatteras Island). The colonists had agreed with John White that if they moved, they would carve their destination. “CROATOAN” without a cross meant they left voluntarily and weren’t in danger—at least when they carved it.

Were there any survivors?

Possibly. Later explorers reported Native Americans with gray eyes, lighter skin, or European features. The Lumbee tribe claims descent from the colonists. If colonists integrated with native tribes, their descendants would have mixed heritage. DNA studies continue but haven’t been conclusive.

Why didn’t John White search Croatoan Island?

White desperately wanted to sail to Croatoan when he found the empty settlement. However, a storm was approaching and the ship’s captain refused to risk the vessel. They were forced to return to England. White never made it back to search.

Has the mystery ever been solved?

No. Despite centuries of research, the fate of the Lost Colony remains America’s oldest unsolved mystery. New theories emerge periodically, and archaeological investigations continue, but no definitive answer has been found. The truth may never be known.

Legacy

America’s First Mystery

The Lost Colony represents:

The Dawn of English America: The first serious attempt at permanent colonization

The Price of Empire: The human cost of colonial ambition

Enduring Mystery: A puzzle that has captivated for over four centuries

Cultural Touchstone: The subject of countless books, plays, and investigations

What It Teaches Us

The Lost Colony reminds us:

• The past holds secrets we may never solve
• Early American history was dangerous and uncertain
• Native American and European histories are intertwined
• Some mysteries are more compelling because they’re unsolved

The Continuing Search

Research continues:

• DNA studies seek to identify descendants
• Archaeological digs explore new sites
• Historical documents are reexamined
• The mystery keeps drawing investigators

117 people stepped onto Roanoke Island in 1587. Three years later, they were gone—leaving only a word carved in wood and questions that have haunted America ever since.

CROATOAN.

What did it mean? Where did they go? What happened to Virginia Dare?

We may never know.

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117 colonists. One word carved on a post: CROATOAN. No bodies. No graves. No answers. The Lost Colony of Roanoke vanished in 1590 and took their secrets with them. America’s oldest mystery remains unsolved.

Sources

• Wikipedia search: “Lost Colony of Roanoke”