National Register of Historic Places

Fort Raleigh National Historic Site

Manteo, Dare County, North Carolina
Listed
October 14, 1966
Type
Site
Period
Early Republic
Ref No.
66000102

About this property

Fort Raleigh National Historic Site preserves the location of Roanoke Colony, the first English settlement in the present-day United States. The site was preserved for its national significance in relation to the founding of the first English settlement in North America, resettled in 1587 after it was initially in 1585. The colony, which was promoted and backed by entrepreneurs led by Englishman Sir Walter Raleigh (c. 1554–1618), failed sometime between 1587 and 1590 when supply ships failed to arrive on time. When next visited, the settlement was abandoned with no survivors found. The fate of the "Lost Colony" was a celebrated mystery, although most modern academic sources agree that the settlers likely assimilated into local indigenous tribes. The historic site is off U.S. Highway 64 on the north end of Roanoke Island, North Carolina, about 3 miles (4.8 km) north of the town of Manteo. The visitor center's museum contains exhibits about the history of the English expeditions and colonies, the Roanoke Colony, and the island's Civil War history and Freedmen's Colony (1863–1867).

Location

Manteo, Dare County, North Carolina
35.93903, -75.70998

Categories

HISTORIC - NON-ABORIGINALEXPLORATION/SETTLEMENT
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Everything a full report reveals about Fort Raleigh National Historic Site

This page lists Fort Raleigh National Historic Site. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Nearby Historic Sites

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Nearby Battles

CSS Curlew — Roanoke Island Naval Fight
1862Civil War
2.4 mi
Capture of Roanoke Island NC
1862Civil War
2.4 mi
Battle of Roanoke Island — Naval Component
1862Civil War
2.7 mi
Burnside Expedition — Capture of Roanoke Island
1862Civil War
3.7 mi

Questions about this property

When was Fort Raleigh National Historic Site listed on the National Register?

Fort Raleigh National Historic Site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 14, 1966.

What type of historic resource is Fort Raleigh National Historic Site?

Fort Raleigh National Historic Site is classified as a site in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Fort Raleigh National Historic Site?

The period of significance for Fort Raleigh National Historic Site is recorded as the early_republic era.

Can I research the history near Fort Raleigh National Historic Site?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Fort Raleigh National Historic Site will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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