Manteo in Dare County, North Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)

Fort Raleigh National Historic Site

— National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior —

Photographed by Brandon D Cross

1. Fort Raleigh National Historic Site Marker

Inscription.
Beauty blooms, mysteries unfold, and the past speaks at Fort Raleigh National Historic Site
Within these wooded grounds are the stories of generations of families and their struggles to colonize a new world. Here, in 1587, the first attempts to establish an English colony began under the sponsorship of Sir Walter Raleigh (left). The fate of this "lost colony" remains a mystery today.

The site also celebrates the preservation of Algonquian culture and was the location of an important Freedmen's Colony during the Civil War era.

A park visit offers a glimpse into the history of Fort Raleigh, with exhibits, a restored fort, live dramas, park talks, and an Elizabethan garden.

(caption)
John White a watercolorist, made this map of the Roanoke Island area around 1586. White's maps were for decades the basis for other maps of the region.

Erected by National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Forts and Castles • Indigenous Peoples and Communities • Parks & Recreational Areas • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1587.

Location. 35° 56.296′ N,

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75° 42.468′ W. Marker is in Manteo, North Carolina, in Dare County. It can be reached from National Park Drive 0.1 miles east of Roanoke Voyages Corridor (U.S. 64), on the left when traveling east. The marker is located on the south side of the Lost Colony Theater ticket office. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1409 National Park Dr, Manteo NC 27954, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in North Carolina’s Coastal Plain and on the Outer Banks.

It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Upper South,

in the Tidewater,

and on the Eastern Seaboard. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the original Thirteen Colonies,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: The Lost Colony (here, next to this marker); Elizabethan Gardens (a few

Fort Raleigh National Historic Site Marker (center) image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Brandon D Cross

2. Fort Raleigh National Historic Site Marker (center)

steps from this marker); Roanoke Island Historical Association Founders (a few steps from this marker); Science in the New World (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Reconstructed Past (about 300 feet away); English Explorers' Earthwork (about 400 feet away); Exploring the Unknown (about 400 feet away); Thomas Hariot Trail (about 400 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Manteo.

Also see . . .
1. Fort Raleigh. (Submitted on September 27, 2024, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida.)
2. The Lost Colony. (Submitted on September 27, 2024, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida.)

Fort Raleigh National Historic Site sign image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Brandon D Cross

3. Fort Raleigh National Historic Site sign

Credits. This page was last revised on June 22, 2025. It was originally submitted on September 27, 2024, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida. This page has been viewed 497 times since then and 29 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on September 27, 2024, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida. • J. J. Prats was the editor who published this page.