Roanoke Island lies between the Dare County mainland and the barrier islands of the Outer Banks proper and is only 12 miles long and 3 miles wide. It is probably best known as the site of the first English settlement in the New World. The colonists, who landed on the island in 1584, mysteriously disappeared between Sir Walter Raleigh˙s first voyage here and his return in 1587. Multiple theories exist about the fate of the first colony and the question of what happened to them occupies historians to this day. The colonists˙ story inspired Pulitzer-Prize winning playwright Paul Green to write an epic drama The Lost Colony, America˙s longest-running outdoor theatre production that brings about 1,100 visitors to the island each night of the show.
Roanoke Island is home to two distinct communities: the historic town of Manteo and the fishing village of Wanchese, each with its own character and charm...
