The History of Roanoke Island

A Little History about Roanoke Island

Roanoke Colony

The north end of Roanoke Island was the site of the first English attempt to establish a permanent colony in the New World. Planned and funded by Sir Walter Raleigh, the island was first explored in 1584. Two attempts to create a colony followed.

A small military garrison was placed on Roanoke Island under the leadership of Captain Ralph Lane late in the summer of 1585.

Lane, a brutal military leader, was probably as responsible as anyone for the failure of the English venture. When a cup was stolen from the garrison, he ordered the largest tribal village in the area burned to the ground. He then captured Chief Wingina, who was in effect the king of the region’s villages, and beheaded him.

In June of 1586, Sir Francis Drake arrived at the Roanoke Colony hoping to resupply his privateering expedition, finding instead, an isolated military outpost, desperately low on supplies and surrounded by hostile Indians. At the request of Lane, the colony was evacuated.

Although Raleigh was concerned about the Native American reaction to Lane, he organized his most ambitious attempt to colonize America, sending 117 men women and children to Roanoke Island in 1587.

As the fleet approached Roanoke Island from the south, the largest of the ships ran aground off Hatteras Island. All of the livestock and much of the supplies had to be jettisoned to refloat the ship.

Short on supplies but still hopeful, the colonists were landed. The leader of the expedition, John White, sailed back to England hoping to arrange for resupply.

In 1588, however, the simmering conflict between England and Spain erupted into full-scale war and it was not until the Spanish Armada was destroyed in July and August of 1588 that White was able to return to the colony.

Following an unsuccessful attempt in 1589, White was finally able to get back to the colony in 1590. When he arrived, the site was deserted and the only clue were the letters “CRO” carved into a tree.

White’s hopes to search search for the colonists were dashed when a hurricane struck, forcing him to return to England.

Although there is considerable speculation about the fate of the colonists, nothing definitive has been established.

Two Highway Historic Markers

With all that has taken place on Roanoke Island there are a number of highway markers calling out important events. But two in particular are fascinating because they draw attention to little know facts.

Joachim Gans was the first documented Jew to set foot in the New World. A skilled metallurgist, he was sent with the second Lost Colony expedition to analyze whether metals could be extracted from the surrounding area. The marker is at the entrance to the National Park Service Fort Raleigh complex about one mile from the William Umstead Bridge.

The Battle of Roanoke Island is a little known but important moment in Civil War history. The Confederate defeat in 1862, created a permanent presence in northeastern North Carolina for Union forces. The marker is on NC 345 approximately 200 yards south of the intersection with US 64,