The Lost Colony of Roanoke

This episode unravels the centuries-old mystery of the Lost Colony of Roanoke, the first English settlement in North America that vanished without a trace around 1590. When Governor John White returned after a three-year delay, he found the colony deserted — no bodies, no struggle, only the cryptic word “CROATOAN” carved into a post.

Theories abound: the settlers may have joined local tribes, moved inland, or perished at sea. Others believe they were killed by hostile forces or consumed by the harsh wilderness. Artifacts discovered nearby and the mysterious Dare Stones hint at survival, but no definitive proof has ever surfaced.

Over four centuries later, Roanoke’s disappearance remains one of America’s oldest and most haunting enigmas — a story of hope, isolation, and the silence left by an entire colony erased from history.