How could there be only one mysterious clue, when over a hundred people vanished without a trace?
In 1857, 115 English settlers arrived on Roanoke Island to form the first New World outpost. Food became scarce and later that year, the colonists sent their governor, John White, back to England for desperately needed supplies, but when he arrived, a war had broken out between England and Spain and England needed every ship they could get. He was unable to return to Roanoke Island for 3 long years!
Upon return, John White’s wife, daughter, infant granddaughter (Virginia Dare, America’s first English born child) and all of the other settlers were missing. Gone without a trace!
The only clue White found was a post carved with a single word – “Croatoan”, which was the name of a nearby island and also the name of the Native American tribe living on it.
There was no trace of the colony and no bodies have ever been found.
White took his ship out to try and find them, but he turned quickly back to England when a bad storm and near mutiny occurred early in his search. Doug and I both thought it weird that he would give up so easily.
Fort Raleigh National Historic Site’s visitor center covers the history of this area and specifically explores three theories of their disappearance – they died of natural causes, they were attacked, or they left voluntarily.
History and a mystery? I’m in!
