The Lost Colony of Roanoke refers to the mysterious disappearance of an English settlement established in 1587 on Roanoke Island, off the coast of present-day North Carolina. The colony was the second English attempt to found a permanent settlement in North America, led by John White. When White returned to the colony three years later in 1590 after a delayed return trip to England for supplies, he found the settlement completely deserted with no sign of the colonists except the word "CROATOAN" carved into a post. The fate of the 112 to 121 colonists, including White's family and the first English child born in the Americas, remains unknown to this day, making it one of American history's greatest unresolved mysteries.

Background

• The Roanoke Colony was initially founded in 1585 but abandoned in 1586 due to supply issues and conflicts with local Native American tribes.
• The 1587 colony included families, notably Eleanor Dare, who gave birth to Virginia Dare, the first English child born in the New World.
• John White left for England to fetch supplies shortly after the colony's establishment and was delayed in returning due to war and other obstacles.

The Disappearance

• Upon White's return in 1590, the colony was deserted without evidence of violence.
• The carving "CROATOAN" suggested the colonists may have moved to Croatoan Island (now Hatteras Island), but White was forced to abandon further search due to a hurricane and lack of resources.
• Various theories propose they were assimilated by local tribes, killed, or perished from other causes, but no definitive proof exists.

The Lost Colony remains a legendary story symbolizing early colonial struggles and mysteries in American history.