The first permanent English colony in America was Jamestown, Virginia, established in 1607 near Chesapeake Bay. Before settling Jamestown, English colonists first landed at Cape Henry in April 1607. This landing marked the beginning of the English colonization of the area, which was inhabited by Native peoples such as the Chesapeake and Nansemond. The colonists arrived aboard three ships funded by the Virginia Company: the Susan Constant, the Godspeed, and the Discovery. Their mission was to build a settlement, find gold, and seek a water route to the Pacific Ocean. Jamestown is recognized as the first enduring English settlement despite earlier, short-lived attempts like the Roanoke Colony in the 1580s.