Settlement Site

Tour the Settlement Site 

Follow the sound of the blacksmith’s hammer to the Settlement Site at Roanoke Island Festival Park. Through the undergrowth and across generations emerges the first English settlement on North American soil. The exhibit features costumed interpreters from the Roanoke Voyage of 1585. They show visitors what daily life was like for the soldiers and sailors who traversed the Atlantic Ocean to build a permanent colony for England.

Today, guests of all ages try traditional woodworking, play Elizabethan games, or watch the blacksmith fashion his iron wares. Search the canvas tents for goods and supplies, try on armor, and practice an English accent with some of the settlers. In the summer, the Settlement Site offers shade under various wild trees and vegetation native to the North Carolina coast. During the cooler months, the soldiers’ campfire warms visitors. Take a photo with a friendly soldier or next to the flag of St. George and remember your trip back in time to the first English military settlement on Roanoke Island.