Important historic site, but not much to see - Fort Raleigh National Historic Site, NC
Written: May 27 '09
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Pros: Historical importance of site, Easy to walk nature trails
Cons: Not all that much to see or do
The Bottom Line: While it was that exciting, I do think that the Fort Raleigh National Historic Site is important and it was interesting place to visit
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| jps246's Full Review: Fort Raleigh National Historic Site |
Having been to the Outer Banks area several times and never stopping at the Fort Raleigh National Historic Site, I was excited to be going there for the first time on my latest trip. I will admit though, I was a bit disappointed after we had walked around for a bit, not so much for what was there, but what wasn't there.
I really don't know what I was expecting, but after reading accounts of the lost colony on Roanoke Island, I guess I just expected more than what the historic site has to offer. It's a simple site that includes a small visitor center, some informational signs, a reconstruction of Fort Raleigh and then several nature trails that take you through the area.
No lost colony, no real exploration of the archaeological excavations in the area. It's more like "hey, this is where we think the Roanoke Island colony was." There was plenty of stuff to keep me interested, but I guess I just wanted more.
Where is it?
The Fort Raleigh National Historic Site is located on Roanoke Island in the sound behind the Outer Banks of North Carolina. The easiest way to reach the site is on Highway 64 and it's about 3 miles from Manteo. The way there is well signed and it's easy to find. Once you are at the site, there is plenty of free parking available and there is no entry fee for the Historic Site.
What's there?
In addition to the Historic Site itself, the area is also home to the Elizabethan Gardens and the Lost Colony Theater. Both of these are private attractions and require entrance fees. The gardens are a place where you can wander through a recreation of an Elizabethan age garden. The Lost Colony Theater has a nightly show about the life of the first colonists.
Why is this place a big deal?
This portion of Roanoke Island was home to the first English settlements in the New World. Unfortunately for the colonists, it never worked out quite right. The first colony in the area, settled in 1585 returned to England by 1586 and then a second colony was settled in 1587. The Governor of that colony returned to England shortly after the settlement and then when he returned two years later, the colonists were gone. No one has ever discovered what happened to those colonists.
Our experience
My partner and I were excited to finally visit the lost colony area and it was a great day to go and explore the site. I'd imagine it can get quite hot in the summertime, but we were there in late May and it was sunny and pleasant, which was nice, since a lot of the site is reached by walking around outside.
We started at the visitor center which is home to a small exhibit hall along with a theater that shows a movie on the Historic Site. We spent about 20 minutes or so wandering through and reading the various displays. It's not the most in-depth look at the area, but for those without much background on the settlements, it's a good introduction. There's also a small exhibit on recent archaeological excavations in the area and a recreation of a room from an Elizabethan home.
From the visitor center, we headed out onto the nature trails to visit the reconstructed Fort Raleigh. We first came across a small outdoor display on the Island's history during and just after the Civil War. During that time, the island, held by the Union, was a place for slaves from the south to gain their freedom.
Following that display, the trail heads off into the woods and you soon reach the Fort Raleigh reconstruction. There's not that much to see and really no interpretive information given. The Fort consists of some simple earthen works surrounding a flat central area. I was kind of amazed at just how small it was. In the center you could have maybe fit one very small house.
From here you can walk over to the Lost Colony Theater area or over to the Elizabethan Gardens. There's also a nature trail that takes you down along the shoreline of the island. The area is fairly flat, so walking anywhere is pretty easy.
We spent maybe an hour walking around after the visitor center visit.
I have to say I was a bit let down. The visitor center is pretty run of the mill and the reconstructed Fort Raleigh is just a small, star-shaped set of earthen works. There's very little interpretive information available and overall, unless you have a distinct interest in the history of the Lost Colony, there's not all that much to see here. I think my partner felt the same way, he was like "where the Lost Colony?" and "is that really the Fort?" I guess it wouldn't be lost anymore if they found it, but some more interpretive information would have made it a lot more interesting.
Final Thoughts
While it was something of a let down, I do think that the Fort Raleigh National Historic Site is important and it was interesting place to visit. It's just that there isn't that much there to explore, which I guess is part of the reason that the Lost Colony is so mysterious. Besides the Fort (which they did find in excavations), the actual colony settlement has never been found and to this day, no one knows what happened to the Colonists that were there.
If you are visiting the Outer Banks area and want to spend a few hours exploring the area's history, I do think a stop at the Fort Raleigh National Historic Site is worth it. You'll learn about England's first attempts at settlements in the New World, get a bit of history on the Freedmen's colony during the Civil War and have a nice place to walk around and take in a bit of the island's natural setting.
I probably wouldn't go again, but I am glad that I did spend the time to stop here.
Recommended:
Yes
Best time to go: Anytime
Recommended for: Anybody
Review Topic: Overview
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