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The origins of one of the America's oldest unsolved mysteries can be traced to August 1587, when a group of about 115 English settlers arrived on Roanoke Island, off the coast of what is now North Carolina. Later that year, it was decided that John White, governor of the new colony, would sail back to England in order to gather a fresh load of supplies. But just as he arrived, a major naval war broke out between England and Spain, and Queen Elizabeth I called on every available ship to confront the mighty Spanish Armada. In August 1590, White finally returned to Roanoke, where he had left his wife and daughter, his infant granddaughter (Virginia Dare, the first English child born in the Americas) and the other settlers three long years before. He found no trace of the colony or its inhabitants, and few clues to what might have happened, apart from a single word-"Croatoan"-carved into a wooden post.

Investigations into the fate of the "Lost Colony" of Roanoke have continued over the centuries, but no one has come up with a satisfactory answer. "Croatoan" was the name of an island south of Roanoke that was home to a Native American tribe of the same name. Perhaps, then, the colonists were killed or abducted by Native Americans. Other hypotheses hold that they tried to sail back to England on their own and got lost at sea, that they met a bloody end at the hands of Spaniards who had marched up from Florida or that they moved further inland and were absorbed into a friendly tribe. In 2007, efforts began to collect and analyze DNA from local families to figure out if they're related to the Roanoke settlers, local Native American tribes or both. Despite the lingering mystery, it seems there's one thing to be thankful for: The lessons learned at Roanoke may have helped the next group of English settlers, who would found their own colony 17 years later just a short distance to the north, at Jamestown.

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What happened to the "Lost Colony" of Roanoke?

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The origins of one of the America's oldest unsolved mysteries can be traced to August 1587, when a group of about 115 English settlers arrived on Roanoke Island, off the coast of what is now North Carolina.

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The Lost Colony of Roanoke

It is one of American history's most enduring unsolved mysteries: What happened to the colonists at Roanoke? Since no one knows still, we can all make our own conclusions, based on available evidence.

The island and surroundings were first sighted by Europeans when English explorers Philip Amadas and Arthur Barlowe sailed by in 1584, at the behest of Sir Walter Raleigh. Amadas and Barlowe were so impressed with the island and its location and adaptability for settlement that they convinced two of the Roanoke natives (willingly or not) to return to England with them. The presence of natives in the court of England no doubt impressed the monarch, Queen Elizabeth, who responded by giving Raleigh an open ticket to claim all lands in and around Roanoke and the surrounding mainland (which she named after herself). The very next year, a group of 100 men set sail for Roanoke Island.

In a series of events that can be described only as future-predicting, that first group of colonists almost singlehandedly doomed the colony. First of all, they arrived too late in the season to plant any crops that would survive the cold winter. Because of that, they had to rely on the supplies that they had brought with them, which were not designed to last all winter. Secondly, they were under the direction of Ralph Lane, a captain in the armed forces. His first priority was to build a fort; houses were then built around the fort, some with brick but most of wood. Running the colony like a tight ship, Lane also looked at the situation around him as a military one. He saw the neighboring Roanoke tribe as possible enemies; and when a dispute over a cup turned violent, it was Lane who ended up killing Wingina, the Roanoke chief.

Lane and his fellow settlers lasted until Sir Francis Drake sailed by in 1586, when they pleaded with him to take them along. Drake agreed, and the settlers left their new home for good. Ironically, a supply ship arrived a week later, under the command of Sir Richard Grenville. A total of 15 people from that crew stayed behind, finding a fort built by Lane and his men.

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The Lost Colony of Roanoke It is one of American history's most enduring unsolved mysteries: What happened to the colonists at Roanoke? Since no one knows still, we can all make our own conclusions, based on available evidence.

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Lots of information, more reading

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The Lost Colony of Roanoke

It is one of American history's most enduring unsolved mysteries: What happened to the colonists at Roanoke? Since no one knows still, we can all make our own conclusions, based on available evidence.

The island and surroundings were first sighted by Europeans when English explorers Philip Amadas and Arthur Barlowe sailed by in 1584, at the behest of Sir Walter Raleigh. Amadas and Barlowe were so impressed with the island and its location and adaptability for settlement that they convinced two of the Roanoke natives (willingly or not) to return to England with them. The presence of natives in the court of England no doubt impressed the monarch, Queen Elizabeth, who responded by giving Raleigh an open ticket to claim all lands in and around Roanoke and the surrounding mainland (which she named after herself). The very next year, a group of 100 men set sail for Roanoke Island.

In a series of events that can be described only as future-predicting, that first group of colonists almost singlehandedly doomed the colony. First of all, they arrived too late in the season to plant any crops that would survive the cold winter. Because of that, they had to rely on the supplies that they had brought with them, which were not designed to last all winter. Secondly, they were under the direction of Ralph Lane, a captain in the armed forces. His first priority was to build a fort; houses were then built around the fort, some with brick but most of wood. Running the colony like a tight ship, Lane also looked at the situation around him as a military one. He saw the neighboring Roanoke tribe as possible enemies; and when a dispute over a cup turned violent, it was Lane who ended up killing Wingina, the Roanoke chief.

Lane and his fellow settlers lasted until Sir Francis Drake sailed by in 1586, when they pleaded with him to take them along. Drake agreed, and the settlers left their new home for good. Ironically, a supply ship arrived a week later, under the command of Sir Richard Grenville. A total of 15 people from that crew stayed behind, finding a fort built by Lane and his men.

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The Lost Colony of Roanoke It is one of American history's most enduring unsolved mysteries: What happened to the colonists at Roanoke? Since no one knows still, we can all make our own conclusions, based on available evidence.

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The 13 American Colonies, Roanoke Colony, Virginia - The Lost Colony - The 13 Colonies for Kids

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The true story of Sir Walter Raleigh and the Lost Colony.

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Brief history

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Colonial America for Kids: Lost Colony of Roanoke

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Kids learn about the history of the Lost Colony of Roanoke during colonial America including the first settlers, the second colony, where it was located, interesting facts, and why it dissappeared.