Manteo, North Carolina 9/17/1998

I decided a visit to Roanoke Island was in order and arrived at the town of Manteo, which seems more like a town than the seaside villages and resorts I had passed.

There was plenty of water and plenty of large houses as I made my way to the reproduction of the Elizabeth II, in which Sir Walter Raleigh made his voyage. There is a vast complex of theaters and shops here but I opted for the bathroom and then picked up some little tea coasters in the gift shop. In this area in 1585 the English tried to establish their first New World colony.

At the end of the island about 3 miles from Manteo is the Fort Raleigh National Historic Site. In 1587 Raleigh dispatched another expedition including women and children to replace the 1585 group that had gone home. The settlers, led by John White, rebuilt the fort and here was where his granddaughter, Virginia Dare, was born. She was the first English child born in the New World. Later White returned to England for provisions but had to become involved in the Spanish hostilities and was unable to return until 1590. The colonists were nowhere to be found and it has been referred to as The Lost Colony.

Also in this area is a memorial to the colonists, the Elizabethan Gardens. This is a recreated 16th century formal English garden with antique statuary and is indeed lovely. From the Gazebo there is a nice view of Roanoke Sound. Here also is where I first saw one of the new Volkswagens, a shiny black one that probably belonged to the not so friendly bitty working the desk.

While traveling back through Manteo I stopped into MacDonald's, one of the first fast food restaurants I have seen on the Outer Banks, for some condiments. I had dropped my little jar of mayonnaise and broken it. Finding nothing but salt and pepper, which I already have, I proceeded on to Jockey's Ridge and Kill Devil Hills.