Out and about on the Outer Banks: The Lost Colony of Roanoke Island

Last visited: 11/2022

We stayed at Barrier Island Station

https://www.rci.com/pre-rci/us/en/resort-directory/resortdetails?resortCode=1008

A short drive down to Kitty Hawk and across the bridge to Roanoke Island brings you to the site of the first colony established in North America by Europeans. Although Jamestown in Virginia may be better known, Roanoke was established in 1587, a full 20 years prior to Jamestown, which was established in 1607.

Roanoke is known as the "Lost Colony" because during a return visit to gain supplies by the governor of the colony, the 115 original settlers disappeared. Upon return, the governor found only the word "Croatan" carved into a wooden post. This was the name of a tribe that lived a little further south of Roanoke. It is still undetermined what the fate of these settlers was. Did they get incorporated into the Croatan tribe? Were they attacked and killed by the tribe? Others think they may have tried to return to England themselves and either fell to stormy seas or were attacked by Spanish ships. Find more information here: https://www.nps.gov/fora/index.htm

If you visit during the summer months, you can attend a performance of The Lost Colony, which is the longest running outdoor theater production in the nation having been first staged in 1937. Grab some dinner sound side in Manteo, and then head up for the show. Find more information here: https://www.thelostcolony.org/the-lost-colony/

The stage is over three times larger than most Broadway stages, but the show also happens on two side stages and sometimes even in the audience

A recreation of the enforcements of the wooden stockade fort

Follow a trail down to the sound's edge

Marking the birthplace of the first English child born in North America, Virginia Dare

The area is very dog friendly, but they must be kept on a leash

Spend some time in the museum on the property. Many artifacts are displayed dating from early native settlements through to English settlements.

The paneling in this room dates from the mid 1600s and was purchased from a property owned by William Randolph Hearst. It originally came from a mansion in England

A recreation of an intricate ceiling pattern indicative of the time period