Roanoke Island Festival Park facts for kids
Roanoke Island Festival Park is a special place in Manteo, North Carolina. It's on Roanoke Island and is a state historic site. This means it helps us learn about important history. The park has many exciting things to see and do. You can explore a recreated 16th-century ship. You can also meet people dressed in old-fashioned clothes. They show you what life was like long ago. There's also a museum and places for shows and art. Your ticket lets you visit for two days!
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What You'll Find at the Park
The Roanoke Adventure Museum
The Roanoke Adventure Museum is a fun, hands-on museum. It teaches you about the history of Roanoke Island and the Outer Banks. You can learn about the first English settlers and the Native Americans who lived there. There are exhibits about ships and sea travel. You'll also discover Civil War history, including a special community called a Freedmen's Colony. There's even a display of an old general store from the 1900s. Many exhibits have activities just for kids!
The Elizabeth II Ship
The Elizabeth II is a full-size replica of a 16th-century sailing ship. It looks just like one of the ships that brought the first English colonists to Roanoke Island in 1587. These ships were part of Sir Walter Raleigh's fleet. The Elizabeth II is a large ship with three masts. It is 69 feet long and 17 feet wide. Guides dressed in old-time clothing act as sailors and colonists. They can tell you what it was like to travel on such a ship.
This ship was built for a big celebration in 1984. It marked 400 years since the first English ships arrived in North Carolina. The Elizabeth II was launched in 1983. It became a State Historic Site on July 13, 1984.
The Settlement Site
At the Settlement Site, you'll meet people dressed as early colonists. They show you how people lived and worked when the island was first settled. You can try activities like blacksmithing (working with metal) or woodworking. You can also play colonial games. See how colonists farmed, cooked, and made things. Soldiers show off the weapons and armor they used for protection. Other crafts you might see include shoemaking, carpentry, and leatherworking.
The "Legend of Two Path" Film
The "Legend of Two Path" is a 50-minute movie. It tells the story of the English colonists arriving from the point of view of the Algonquians. These were the Native Americans living in the area. The film was made by students at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. You can watch it several times a day in the park's Film Theater.
American Indian Town
The park also has a recreated American Indian Town. This shows what a Native American settlement would have looked like long ago. It's similar to the villages of the Croatan people. They were native to the area when the Roanoke Colony was founded.
The Pavilion at Roanoke Island Festival Park
The Outdoor Pavilion is a modern stage area. It sits right on the water of Roanoke Sound. This makes for a beautiful background for concerts, weddings, and other shows. The stage is 3,800 square feet. There's a huge lawn that can hold up to 3,500 people for outdoor events.
