The Daily Tar Heel
Printing news. Raising hell. Since 1893.
Friday, March 29, 2024 Newsletters Latest print issue

We keep you informed.

Help us keep going. Donate Today.
The Daily Tar Heel

Lost then found: NC finds Lost Colony artifacts on the coast

One thousand acres of land on North Carolina's coast has become protected as a "natural area" after artifacts possibly related to the Lost Colony were found. 

According to the North Carolina Coastal Land Trust, the artifacts were found at Site X, about 80 miles west of Roanoke Island, located on the junction of Salmon Creek and Albemarle Sound — leading archaeologists to believe the Lost Colony relocated to the area after 1587.  

Phil Evans, president of the First Colony Foundation, said archaeologists of the First Colony Foundation have uncovered a mixture of 16th century English pottery and Algonquian Indian artifacts — suggesting the colonists and Native Americans coexisted in the area. 

He said archaeologists have not been able to confirm that the English artifacts belonged to the same Roanoke colonists, but it seems to be the only explanation.

“At this location, and the timeframe we’ve established for these artifacts, there’s no other group that this broken English pottery could have belonged to,” he said. 

Camilla Herlevich, the executive director for the North Carolina Coastal Land Trust said with the growing historical significance of Site X, the N.C. Coastal Land Trust seized an opportunity to purchase 1,000 acres of property on and near the site, costing the conservation group roughly $5 million. 

“We have never, ever raised money before of this magnitude,” she said. 

Herlevich said while the conservation group typically raises funds and grants prior to purchases, there was little time to spare in acquiring the land, as investors were looking to sell the property quickly.

“We took a risk this time by borrowing money, but it was an informed risk," she said. "We made a business decision considering this would be a project with so many different kinds of values that would qualify for a variety of state and federal grant sources.” 

Herlevich said fundraising efforts will likely last for another year. The group has already received multiple contributions — including a $1.2 million grant from the North Carolina Clean Water Management Trust Fund last week. 

She said once the loan is fully repaid, the N.C. Coastal Land Trust plans to transfer ownership of the land over to the North Carolina Division of Parks & Recreation, and the land will become public property. 

Scott Sauer, Bertie County manager, said he already has preliminary plans to boost ecotourism in the area. 

“There’s an awful lot to do along that 1,000 acre stretch, including opportunities to establish walking trails, mountain bike trails, horse trails," he said. "The area is absolutely gorgeous.” 

He said the county is still working on recovery from Hurricane Matthew and has other projects to focus on immediately, but that in the long run he wants to use the location as a teaching area in partnership with the county's public schools.

Herlevich said the area gives an insight into not just the Roanoke colonists but also modern Americans.

“I think everybody loves a mystery," she said. "We’re always trying to learn more about ourselves, where we came from and why we do the things that we do.”

The N.C. Coastal Land Trust is accepting donations at https://coastallandtrust.org/. 

@ryan_smooth

state@dailytarheel.com

To get the day's news and headlines in your inbox each morning, sign up for our email newsletters.