Fort Raleigh National Historic Site

Fort Raleigh National Historic Site is a protected area on Roanoke Island in Dare County. The site preserves the location of the Roanoke Colony, the first English Settlement in the New World. The colony, which was backed by Sir Walter Raleigh, settled on what is now Roanoke Island in 1587. Virginia Dare was the first baby born to English parents in what would become the United States. Sometime before 1590, when supply ships failed to arrive, the "Lost Colony" disappeared without a trace. The ultimate fate of the settlers is still a mystery.

Map:

Trails:

Thomas Hariot Trail:

Thomas Hariot Trail is a 0.3-mile nature trail that leads through a maritime evergreen forest.

Points of Interest:

1896 Memorial:

The 1896 Memorial marks the year of the first efforts to preserve the historic site.

Reconstructed Earthen Fort:

An earthwork was constructed at the site by the 1585 expedition. The original has been eroded away, but archaeologists were able to determine the dimensions of the original based on soil disturbance and reconstructed the fort in 1950.

Elizabethan Gardens:

The Elizabethan Gardens are on the grounds of Fort Raleigh, but are managed by the Garden Club of North Carolina. The gardens are designed like 16th century English gardens from the Elizabethan period. There is a separate fee to tour the gardens.

Blog Entries:

03-Jul-2019: Outer Banks National Parks

External Links:

National Park Service website: https://www.nps.gov/fora/index.htm