The Lost Colony of Roanoke was an early English settlement attempt on Roanoke Island (present-day North Carolina) in the late 16th century. Led by John White, around 117 settlers arrived in 1587 to establish a permanent colony, including families and the first English child born in America, Virginia Dare. However, when John White returned from England with supplies in 1590, he found the colony deserted with no clear signs of the settlers except for the word "CROATOAN" carved on a post, believed to be a clue that the colonists relocated to Croatoan Island (now Hatteras Island). The fate of the colony remains a mystery, with theories suggesting they either assimilated with local Native American tribes or were killed. No definitive evidence has resolved what happened to those settlers.
