ROANOKE ISLAND — 1590 · Missing Person
The Lost Colony of Roanoke
In 1587 a group of about 115 settlers from England established themselves on Roanoke Island, off the coast of present-day North Carolina. Their governor, John White, sailed back to England that year for supplies, but because of the threat of the Spanish Armada he could not return until 18 August 1590. He found the settlement deserted, with no trace except the letters 'CRO' carved into a tree and the word 'CROATOAN' carved into a palisade post. White took this to mean the colonists had moved to Croatoan Island, home of friendly Native Americans, but bad weather prevented him from continuing the search. Theories of assimilation with Native peoples or relocation are still debated; archaeology has not produced a definitive answer.
- Date
- 1590
- Place
- Dare County, North Carolina, USA, Roanoke Island, US
- Category
- Missing Person
- Case Status
- Unsolved
- Coordinates
- 35.9382, -75.7096 ↗
Timeline of Events
- July 1587About 115 settlers established themselves on Roanoke Island.
- 27 August 1587Governor John White sailed to England for supplies.
- 18 August 1590On his return White found the colony deserted.
- 1941The site was protected as Fort Raleigh National Historic Site.
Sources
- National Park Service — Fort Raleigh National Historic Site nps.gov ↗
- National Geographic — Newfound survivor camp may explain lost colony of Roanoke nationalgeographic.com ↗
- Wikipedia — Roanoke Colony en.wikipedia.org ↗
- National Park Service
- National Geographic
- Wikipedia
Source grade A: several independent sources, at least one an official record or reference work. If you spot a mistake or something missing, report it with "Suggest a correction" in the app.
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🕯️ This record was prepared with respect, in memory of those who lost their lives.