Fort Raleigh National Historic Site

National Historic Site of the United States

United States historic place

Fort Raleigh National Historic Site

U.S. National Register of Historic Places

U.S. National Historic Site

Fort Raleigh during reconstruction (1950)

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Location| Dare County, North Carolina
Nearest city| Manteo, North Carolina
Coordinates| 35°56′19″N 75°42′36″W﻿ / ﻿35.93861°N 75.71000°W﻿ / 35.93861; -75.71000
Area| 14 acres (5.7 ha)
Built| 1585
Architect| Ralph Lane
Visitation| 276,071 (2005)
Website| Fort Raleigh National Historic Site
NRHP reference No.| 66000102[1]
Added to NRHP| October 15, 1966

Fort Raleigh National Historic Site preserves the location of Roanoke Colony, the first English settlement in the present-day United States. The site was preserved for its national significance in relation to the founding of the first English settlement in North America, resettled in 1587 after it was initially in 1585. The colony, which was promoted and backed by entrepreneurs led by Englishman Sir Walter Raleigh (c. 1554–1618), failed sometime between 1587 and 1590 when supply ships failed to arrive on time. When next visited, the settlement was abandoned with no survivors found. The fate of the "Lost Colony" was a celebrated mystery, although most modern academic sources agree that the settlers likely assimilated into local indigenous tribes.

The historic site is off U.S. Highway 64 on the north end of Roanoke Island, North Carolina, about 3 miles (4.8 km) north of the town of Manteo. The visitor center's museum contains exhibits about the history of the English expeditions and colonies, the Roanoke Colony, and the island's Civil War history and Freedmen's Colony (1863-1867).

## History

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The Union Army occupied the island in 1862 and soon established a contraband camp for slave refugees. It founded the Roanoke Island Freedmen's Colony in 1863 to be self-sustaining. The free residents of the colony were allocated plots of land by household, paid by the Army for work, and educated with the help of Northern teachers. By 1864 the colony had more than 2200 freedpeople as residents. It had a sawmill, fisheries and 600 cabins. More than 150 freedmen from the colony were among the nearly 4000 freedmen from North Carolina who served with the United States Colored Troops.[2] The colony is commemorated with a marble monument erected at the fort site in 2001 by Dare County.[2]

The Fort Raleigh historic site is home to Paul Green's outdoor symphonic drama, The Lost Colony. This work about the earliest colonists has been performed in the Waterside Theatre during the summer since 1937, with an interlude during World War II. It is presented by the Roanoke Island Historical Association.

## Administrative history

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Waterside Theatre

Fort Raleigh National Historic Site was established on April 5, 1941, through a transfer of property to the National Park Service under a cooperative agreement with the Roanoke Island Historical Association (RIHA) and Acting Secretary of the Interior Alvin J. Wirtz, using authority provided under the Historic Sites Act of 1935. As with all historic areas administered by the National Park Service, the site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 15, 1966.

Fort Raleigh is co-managed with two other Outer Banks parks, Wright Brothers National Memorial and Cape Hatteras National Seashore. It is the location of the group headquarters at the northern end of Roanoke Island. The cooperative agreement of 1941 allows RIHA to stage theatrical performances in the Waterside Theatre, also on park property.

## Elizabethan Gardens

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The sunken gardens at the Elizabethan Gardens

Within the historic site are the Elizabethan Gardens, managed by the Garden Club of North Carolina, created as a memorial to the first colonists and as an example of a period garden. The gardens cover more than 10 acres (4.0 ha) and include a replica Tudor gate house. There is a separate fee for the gardens.

Over 500 species of plants are artfully tended on 10.5 acres of scenic waterfront property. This beautiful Outer Banks attraction was built in the mid 20th century to honor Queen Elizabeth I. Stepping into the Elizabethan Gardens is like stepping into a time machine. History buffs and horticulturists alike will enjoy the Renaissance statues hidden throughout the garden and the intricate Elizabethan-style buildings. The garden is open daily year round and holds seasonal events such as educational tours in the summer and holiday light displays in the winter. The attraction is also a popular Outer Banks wedding venue thanks to its romantic ambiance and idyllic views.[3][tone]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
2. ^ a b "6.4 The Roanoke Island Freedmen's Colony". North Carolina Digital History. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Archived from the original on September 29, 2011. Retrieved November 11, 2010.
3. ^ "Elizabethan Gardens". Southern Shores. Southern Shores Realty. Retrieved April 9, 2020.

## Further reading

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* Binkley, Cameron; Davis, Steven (November 2003). "Preserving the Mystery -- An Administrative History of Fort Raleigh National Historic Site" (PDF). National Park Service. p. 154\. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 22, 2004. Retrieved September 10, 2008.
* The National Parks: Index 2001–2003. Washington: U.S. Department of the Interior.

## External links

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Fort Raleigh National Historic Site.

* Official website
* The Elizabethan Gardens
* The Lost Colony at the Waterside Theatre

* v
* t
* e

Roanoke Colony

Watts' West Indies and Virginia expedition

Places|

* Roanoke Island
* Hatteras Island (Croatoan) Hatteras Histories and Mysteries Museum
* Fort Raleigh National Historic Site (Roanoke Island Festival Park)

Notable colonists (List)|

* 1585 colony
* Ralph Lane
* 1587 colony
* John White
* Eleanor Dare
* Ananias Dare
* Virginia Dare
* Manteo

Native associates|

* Roanoke people
* Croatan (Hatteras Indians)
* Lumbee
* Wanchese
* Wingina

Other notable people|

* Simon Fernandes
* Joachim Gans
* Thomas Harriot
* Bartholomew Gilbert
* John Lawson
* 1709 book

Notable researchers|

* David Beers Quinn
* Talcott Williams
* Ivor Noël Hume
* Andrew Lawler
* David Sutton Phelps Jr.

Notable cultural references|

* Dare Stones
* The Lost Colony
* Freedmen's Colony of Roanoke Island
* The Rising Shore — Roanoke
* American Horror Story: Roanoke
* The Briar King

* v
* t
* e

Protected areas of North Carolina

Federal|

| National Parks|

* Great Smoky Mountains

|

National Historic Sites|

* Carl Sandburg Home
* Fort Raleigh

National Memorials|

* Wright Brothers

National Military Parks|

* Guilford Courthouse

National Battlefields|

* Moores Creek

National Parkways|

* Blue Ridge Parkway
* Crabtree Falls
* Craggy Gardens
* Cumberland Knob
* Doughton Park
* E.B. Jeffress Park
* Julian Price Memorial Park
* Linville Falls
* Moses H. Cone Memorial Park
* Mount Pisgah
* Waterrock Knob

National Trails|

* Appalachian Trail
* Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail

National Seashores|

* Cape Hatteras
* Cape Lookout

National Marine Sanctuary|

* Monitor

National Estuarine
Research Reserve|

* Currituck Banks
* Rachel Carson
* Masonboro Island
* Zeke’s Island

National Forests|

* Cherokee
* Croatan
* Nantahala
* Pisgah
* Uwharrie

National Wildlife Refuges|

* Alligator River
* Cedar Island
* Currituck
* Great Dismal Swamp
* Mackay Island
* Mattamuskeet
* Mountain Bogs
* Pea Island
* Pee Dee
* Pocosin Lakes
* Roanoke River
* Swanquarter

Wilderness Areas|

* Birkhead Mountains
* Catfish Lake South
* Ellicott Rock
* Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock
* Linville Gorge
* Middle Prong
* Pocosin
* Pond Pine
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Wilderness Study Areas|

* Craggy Mountain
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* Overflow
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Wild and Scenic Rivers|

* Chattooga River
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* Lumber River
* New River
* Wilson Creek

State|

| State Parks|

* Carolina Beach
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* Cliffs of the Neuse
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* Haw River
* Jockey's Ridge
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* Lake James
* Lake Norman
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* Lumber River
* Mayo River
* Medoc Mountain
* Merchants Millpond
* Morrow Mountain
* Mount Mitchell
* New River
* Pettigrew
* Pilot Mountain
* Pisgah View
* Raven Rock
* Rendezvous Mountain
* Singletary Lake
* South Mountains
* Stone Mountain
* William B. Umstead

|

State Recreation Areas|

* Falls Lake
* Fort Fisher
* Jordan Lake
* Kerr Lake

State Natural Areas|

* Hemlock Bluffs
* Lea Island
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* Mount Jefferson
* Occoneechee Mountain
* Theodore Roosevelt
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State Lakes|

* Bay Tree Lake
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State Trails|

* Dan River
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* Equine
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* French Broad River
* Haw River Trail
* Hickory Nut Gorge
* Mountains-to-Sea
* Northern Peaks
* Overmountain Victory
* Roanoke River
* Saluda Grade
* Wilderness Gateway
* Yadkin River

State Rivers|

* Horsepasture River
* Linville River
* Lumber River
* New River

State Forests|

* Bladen Lakes
* DuPont
* Headwaters
* Rendezvous Mountain

Educational State Forests|

* Clemmons
* Holmes
* Jordan Lake
* Mountain Island
* Turnbull Creek
* Tuttle

State Historic Sites|

* Alamance Battleground
* Charles B. Aycock Birthplace
* Historic Bath
* Bennett Place
* Bentonville Battleground
* Brunswick Town / Fort Anderson
* C.S.S. Neuse and Governor Caswell Memorial
* Charlotte Hawkins Brown Memorial
* Duke Homestead
* Historic Edenton
* Fort Dobbs
* Fort Fisher
* Historic Halifax
* Horne Creek Living Historical Farm
* House in the Horseshoe
* North Carolina Transportation Museum
* President James K. Polk Historic Site
* Reed Gold Mine
* Somerset Place
* Stagville
* State Capitol
* Thomas Wolfe Memorial
* Town Creek Indian Mound
* Tryon Palace Historic Sites & Gardens
* Zebulon B. Vance Birthplace

State Coastal Reserves|

* Bald Head Woods
* Bird Island
* Buxton Woods
* Emily and Richardson Preyer Buckridge
* Kitty Hawk Woods
* Permuda Island

Other|

| Nature centers|

* List of nature centers in North Carolina

|

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Outer Banks of North Carolina and Virginia

Landforms|

* Bodie Island
* Knotts Island
* Monkey Island
* Mary Island
* Colington Island
* Albemarle-Pamlico Peninsula
* Roanoke Island
* Pea Island
* Hatteras Island
* No Ache Island
* Cape Hatteras
* Shelly Island
* Ocracoke Island
* Beacon Island
* Portsmouth Island
* Core Banks
* Cape Lookout

Places|

City of Virginia Beach
Sandbridge

Currituck County
Knotts Island
Carova Beach
Corolla

Dare County
Duck
Southern Shores
Kitty Hawk
Kill Devil Hills
Colington
Nags Head
Whalebone Junction
Manteo
Wanchese
Rodanthe
Waves
Salvo
Avon
Buxton
Frisco
Hatteras

Hyde County
Ocracoke

Carteret County
Portsmouth
Cape Lookout Village

Waterways|

* Atlantic Ocean
* Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway

Bays
Onslow Bay
Raleigh Bay
Back Bay
Knotts Island Bay

Sounds
Currituck Sound
Albemarle Sound
Croatan Sound
Roanoke Sound
Pamlico Sound
Core Sound
Back Sound

Inlets
Oregon Inlet
New Inlet
Isabel Inlet
Hatteras Inlet
Ocracoke Inlet
Drum Inlet
Barden Inlet

Lighthouses|

* Currituck Beach Light
* Bodie Island Light
* Cape Hatteras Light
* Ocracoke Light
* Cape Lookout Light

Protected areas and wildlife|

National seashores
Cape Hatteras National Seashore
Cape Lookout National Seashore

Wildlife refuges
Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge
Mackay Island National Wildlife Refuge
Currituck National Wildlife Refuge
Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge

State parks
False Cape State Park
Jockey's Ridge State Park

State coastal reserves
Kitty Hawk Woods
Buxton Woods

Game lands
Currituck Banks Game Land
Roanoke Island Marshes Game Land
Buxton Woods Game Land

Preserves
Nags Head Woods Preserve
Roanoke Island Marshes Preserve

Museums, zoos, and institutes
North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island
Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum
University of North Carolina - Coastal Studies Institute

Other
Mountains-to-Sea Trail
Pine Island Audubon Sanctuary
Fort Raleigh National Historic Site
Wright Brothers National Memorial
Currituck Banks North Carolina National Estuarine Research Reserve
Run Hill State Natural Area

Wildlife
Banker horse
Red wolf

Transportation|

Routes
Historic Albemarle Tour
North Carolina Ferry System

Bridges
Virginia Dare Memorial Bridge
Marc Basnight Bridge
Herbert C. Bonner Bridge
Wright Memorial Bridge
William B. Umstead Bridge
Washington Baum Bridge
Melvin R. Daniels Bridge
Rodanthe Bridge
Mid-Currituck Bridge
Captain Richard Etheridge Bridge

Airports
Dare County Regional Airport
First Flight Airport
Billy Mitchell Airport
Ocracoke Island Airport

History|

Events and places
Pea Island Life-Saving Station
Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station
Roanoke Colony
Graveyard of the Atlantic
Torpedo Alley
Battle of the Atlantic
Hatteras Weather Bureau Station
Freedmen's Colony of Roanoke Island

People
Roanoke people
Croatan
Wanchese
Manteo
John White
Richard Grenville
Blackbeard
Raleigh
Virginia Dare
Marc Basnight

Weather|

* 1936 Outer Banks hurricane
* 1945 Outer Banks hurricane
* Hurricane Fran
* Hurricane Irene
* Hurricane Isabel
* Hurricane Dorian
* Hazard mitigation

* v
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U.S. National Register of Historic Places in North Carolina

Topics|

* Contributing property
* Keeper of the Register
* Historic district
* History of the National Register of Historic Places
* National Park Service
* Property types

Lists
by county|

* Alamance
* Alexander
* Alleghany
* Anson
* Ashe
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* Beaufort
* Bertie
* Bladen
* Brunswick
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* Burke
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* Caldwell
* Camden
* Carteret
* Caswell
* Catawba
* Chatham
* Cherokee
* Chowan
* Clay
* Cleveland
* Columbus
* Craven
* Cumberland
* Currituck
* Dare
* Davidson
* Davie
* Duplin
* Durham
* Edgecombe
* Forsyth
* Franklin
* Gaston
* Gates
* Graham
* Granville
* Greene
* Guilford
* Halifax
* Harnett
* Haywood
* Henderson
* Hertford
* Hoke
* Hyde
* Iredell
* Jackson
* Johnston
* Jones
* Lee
* Lenoir
* Lincoln
* Macon
* Madison
* Martin
* McDowell
* Mecklenburg
* Mitchell
* Montgomery
* Moore
* Nash
* New Hanover
* Northampton
* Onslow
* Orange
* Pamlico
* Pasquotank
* Pender
* Perquimans
* Person
* Pitt
* Polk
* Randolph
* Richmond
* Robeson
* Rockingham
* Rowan
* Rutherford
* Sampson
* Scotland
* Stanly
* Stokes
* Surry
* Swain
* Transylvania
* Tyrrell
* Union
* Vance
* Wake
* Warren
* Washington
* Watauga
* Wayne
* Wilkes
* Wilson
* Yadkin
* Yancey

Other lists|

* Bridges
* National Historic Landmarks

Portals:

* American Civil War
* Museums
* National Register of Historic Places
* North Carolina
* Theatre

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF

National|

* United States
* Israel

Other|

* NARA

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