What Happened at Roanoke Island in 1587
In 1587, a group of English colonists led by John White arrived on Roanoke Island in present-day North Carolina to establish a permanent settlement under Queen Elizabeth I. The colony, later known as the Lost Colony, ended with the disappearance of about 115 men, women, and children. When White returned in 1590 after several delays caused by war and privateering, he found the settlement dismantled and the word CROATOAN carved into a post, with no clear explanation. This overview summarizes the documented facts, plausible explanations, and ongoing research into the colony’s fate.
Background: England’s First Attempts at Colonization
Roanoke Island 1587 was part of England’s second attempt to found a permanent colony in North America, following the failed and abandoned 1585 Roanoke Island expedition. The earlier voyage had returned to England with a key captive, the Croatoan leader Manteo, who later traveled to London and served as an interpreter. After renewed interest from investors and navigators, the 1587 voyage was organized as a family-focused settlement, intended to secure England’s claim and challenge Spanish dominance in the Caribbean.
Key Figures of the 1587 Voyage
John White served as governor and artist, creating illustrations that documented Indigenous peoples and early colonial life. Simon Fernandes acted as pilot and clashed with White over decisions, including whether to proceed to Chesapeake Bay or remain at Roanoke. The colonists included men, women, and children, among them White’s daughter and her infant granddaughter, Virginia Dare, who was the first English child born in the region.
The 1587 Landing and Initial Settlement
After departing England in May 1587, the fleet reached the Caribbean, where delays and a captured ship forced further postponement. The fleet finally approached Roanoke Island in July, where the settlers found the fort from the 1585 expedition dismantled. With limited resources and tensions with nearby Indigenous groups, White and the colonists negotiated with the Croatoan and other groups for food and support. Despite efforts to plant crops and fortify the settlement, challenges mounted as supplies from England failed to arrive reliably.
Documented Events and Decisions
In late 1587, following strained relations and persistent shortages, John White agreed to a plan in which colonists would relocate to Croatoan Island (modern Hatteras Island) if necessary. Before departing for England to secure fresh supplies, White carved the word CROATOAN into a post and ordered the removal of the fort’s palisade to signal a peaceful move. Without a cross to indicate distress, White assumed the group had moved with local consensus. Severe weather delayed his return for three years, during which England’s focus shifted to war with Spain.
The 1590 Discovery and Remaining Evidence
John White finally returned to Roanoke Island in 1590 and found the settlement dismantled and the word CROATOAN carved into the post. No cross was present, and searches of the island and Croatoan (Hatteras) yielded no conclusive traces of the colonists. Later expeditions and speculative accounts proliferated the story, yet no definitive record of the group’s survival or fate emerged from that era.
Primary Sources from the Period
| Source | Verified Detail | Source Type |
|---|---|---|
| John White’s Watercolors | Detailed illustrations of Roanoke, Indigenous life, and the colony | Primary visual record |
| White’s 1590 Letter to Ralph Lane | Account of returning to find CROATOAN carved, no cross present | Primary written record |
| Richard Hakluyt’s Published Voyages | Compilation of narratives and maps used to promote English colonization | Published historical compilation |
| John Smith’s Later Narratives | Claims of hearing stories about survivors, likely secondhand and embellished | Contemporary but secondhand account |
Archaeology and Modern Research
Modern archaeology has tested multiple hypotheses about the colonists’ fate. Investigations at Fort Raleigh on Roanoke Island and sites on Hatteras Island have uncovered English artifacts in contexts associated with both Indigenous and colonial use. Research programs such as the Lost Colony Center for Science and History apply documentary analysis, remote sensing, and excavation to reconcile environmental, cultural, and historical evidence. While no definitive settlement or mass grave has been confirmed, these efforts continue to refine plausible scenarios.
Leading Theories Supported by Evidence
- Integration with Indigenous groups: Evidence suggests some colonists may have survived by joining nearby Croatoan or other Algonquian-speaking communities, supported by artifacts and place-name research.
- Relocation to Croatoan: The carved word and prior agreement support the idea that the group moved to Hatteras Island, where later colonial records mention mixed-heritage communities.
- Hostility and fragmentation: Drought records and fortified construction indicate stress; conflict or splintering into small groups could explain the lack of a single site.
- Abandonment and death: Harsh conditions, disease, and supply shortages could have led to mortality without clear Indigenous or colonial accounts.
Key Facts at a Glance
| Attribute | Verified Detail | Source Type |
|---|---|---|
| Year of main settlement attempt | 1587 | Historical records |
| Number of colonists | Approximately 115 | Colonial roster estimates |
| Governor | John White | Primary documents |
| Pilot/Captain | Simon Fernandes | "Pilot" accounts and company records|
| Notable person born | Virginia Dare, first English child born in the Americas | "White’s account and colonial records"|
| Carved word found | CROATOAN on a post, no cross | "John White’s 1590 letter"|
| Intended destination debated | Roanoke vs. Chesapeake Bay | "Naval accounts and White’s writings"
Common Misconceptions and Clarifications
Popular narratives sometimes describe the colonists as vanishing without a trace or being wiped out by a single catastrophe. In reality, the available evidence points to a complex scenario involving preparation for movement, possible integration with Indigenous groups, and environmental hardship. The absence of a large-scale archaeological site does not rule out small-group survival or incorporation into nearby communities. Similarly, the word CROATOAN was likely a planned destination, not a cryptic distress signal, though the absence of a cross means we cannot confirm the outcome with certainty.
Why Roanoke Island 1587 Remains Significant
The Roanoke Island 1587 colony represents a pivotal moment in early American history, reflecting the ambitions, errors, and limits of European colonization. It shaped later approaches to settlement, influenced relations with Indigenous nations, and became a foundational element of American origin stories. The ongoing search for answers engages historians, archaeologists, and the public, demonstrating how incomplete evidence can sustain rigorous inquiry over centuries.
Key Takeaways
- The 1587 colony aimed to establish a permanent English settlement but faced delays, limited supplies, and tensions.
- John White’s account and watercolors provide the most direct contemporary records of people and place.
- The word CROATOAN and prior relocation plans suggest the group may have moved, but evidence remains fragmentary.
- Archaeology has not confirmed a single fate, but it supports scenarios involving integration, relocation, or hardship.
- Research continues to use new methods to test hypotheses and contextualize the colony within broader colonial and Indigenous history.
Further Reading and Sources
- National Park Service: Fort Raleigh National Historic Site
- British Library: Discovering Americas: The Roanoke Voyages
- The Lost Colony Center for Science and History
- U.S. Department of the Interior: National Register of Historic Places documentation
- Academic journals on colonial archaeology and Indigenous-European contact
FAQ
Reader questions
Where did the Roanoke colonists go?
Current evidence does not confirm a single outcome. Leading hypotheses include relocation and integration with the Croatoan or other Indigenous communities, fragmentation into smaller groups, or mortality due to environmental and supply challenges.
What does CROATOAN mean?
It was likely intended to indicate movement to Croatoan Island (modern Hatteras Island) as planned with John White before his return to England. The absence of a cross means no distress was signaled at the time the post was carved.
Are any colonists confirmed to have survived?
No direct contemporary record confirms individual survivors, but later colonial documents mention people of mixed English and Indigenous descent in communities near the area, supporting the possibility of integration.
How do we know about Roanoke Island 1587?
Primary sources include John White’s watercolors and letters, Richard Hakluyt’s published accounts, and later colonial records. Archaeology and ongoing research add material context to these documents.
Why hasn’t the site been definitively located?
Limited physical traces, possible relocation, and landscape changes over centuries make definitive confirmation difficult. Archaeology continues to test hypotheses using documentary and scientific methods.
What is the Lost Colony?
The term refers to the Roanoke Island colonists whose fate remained unresolved. The story has been shaped by early accounts, later speculation, and cultural memory, making it a lasting topic of inquiry.