Fort Raleigh National Historic Site facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Fort Raleigh National Historic Site
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Fort Raleigh during reconstruction (1950)
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 Location in North Carolina
Location in the United States
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| Location | Dare County, North Carolina |
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| Nearest city | Manteo, North Carolina |
| 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 |
| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1966 |
Fort Raleigh National Historic Site is a special place in North Carolina. It protects the area where the first English settlement in what is now the United States was located. This settlement was called the Roanoke Colony.
The site is important because it marks the beginning of English attempts to settle in North America. The colony was first started in 1585 and then resettled in 1587. An English adventurer named Sir Walter Raleigh helped organize it.
However, the colony faced problems. Supply ships did not arrive on time between 1587 and 1590. When people finally returned, the settlement was empty. No one was found, and the colony became known as the "Lost Colony." Today, many experts believe the settlers likely joined local Native American tribes.
You can find this historic site on Roanoke Island, North Carolina. It's about 3 miles north of the town of Manteo. The visitor center has a museum. It shows exhibits about the early English trips and colonies, the Roanoke Colony, and the island's history during the American Civil War. It also tells about the Freedmen's Colony that existed there from 1863 to 1867.
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A Look at History: The Roanoke Island Freedmen's Colony
During the American Civil War, the Union Army took control of Roanoke Island in 1862. They soon created a camp for people who had escaped slavery. In 1863, they started the Roanoke Island Freedmen's Colony. This colony was meant to help these freed people live on their own.
The people living in the colony received plots of land for their families. The Army paid them for their work. Teachers from the northern states helped educate the children and adults. By 1864, over 2,200 freed people lived there. The colony had a sawmill, places to fish, and 600 cabins.
Many men from the colony joined the Union Army. More than 150 freedmen from Roanoke Island served in the United States Colored Troops. These were regiments of African American soldiers. Today, a marble monument at the fort site, put up in 2001, remembers this important colony.
The Lost Colony Play
The Fort Raleigh historic site is also home to an outdoor play called The Lost Colony. This play tells the story of the first colonists. It was written by Paul Green.
The play has been performed in the Waterside Theatre every summer since 1937. It only stopped for a short time during World War II. The Roanoke Island Historical Association presents this long-running show.
How the Site is Managed
Fort Raleigh National Historic Site officially began on April 5, 1941. The land was given to the National Park Service. This happened through an agreement with the Roanoke Island Historical Association. The site was added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 15, 1966. This list recognizes important historical places in the United States.
Fort Raleigh is managed along with two other parks in the Outer Banks. These are Wright Brothers National Memorial and Cape Hatteras National Seashore. The main office for these parks is located at Fort Raleigh. The agreement from 1941 allows the Roanoke Island Historical Association to continue putting on plays at the Waterside Theatre, which is also on the park's land.
The Beautiful Elizabethan Gardens
Inside the historic site, you'll find the Elizabethan Gardens. These gardens are managed by the Garden Club of North Carolina. They were created to remember the first colonists and to show what a garden from that time might have looked like.
The gardens cover more than 10 acres. They even have a replica of a Tudor-style gate house. There is a separate fee to enter the gardens. Over 500 types of plants grow in these beautiful gardens. They were built in the mid-1900s to honor Queen Elizabeth I.
Walking through the Elizabethan Gardens is like stepping back in time. You can see Renaissance statues hidden among the plants. There are also buildings designed in the Elizabethan style. The gardens are open every day of the year. They host special events like tours in the summer and holiday light displays in the winter. Many people also choose the gardens as a romantic place for weddings.
