1587–1590Reputable sourceWell documented
The Lost Colony of Roanoke
On the timeline · around 1587–1590 ·
What happened
England's first attempt at a permanent American colony, on Roanoke Island off North Carolina, ended in mystery. When a supply ship returned in 1590, the roughly 115 settlers — including Virginia Dare, the first English child born in America — had vanished, leaving only the carved word 'CROATOAN.'
Why it matters
Roanoke's failure and enduring mystery underscore how precarious early English colonization was, and it set the stage for the more determined effort at Jamestown two decades later.
Sources
- US National Park Service. Fort Raleigh National Historic Site · Reputable source