The Roanoke Colony was an early English settlement established in 1585 on Roanoke Island, off the coast of present-day North Carolina. Sponsored by Sir Walter Raleigh, the colony aimed to create a permanent English presence in the New World. However, the settlers faced many challenges, including food shortages and conflicts with local Native American tribes. In 1587, a second group of settlers arrived, led by John White. When White returned from England in 1590, he found the colony abandoned, with only the word “Croatoan” carved into a tree. The fate of the settlers remains a mystery, making Roanoke one of America’s oldest unsolved enigmas.