In 1587, more than 100 people stepped off a small ship onto an island. Within three years, every single one of them was gone. They left no graves, wreckage, or signs of trouble, only a single word carved into a wooden post for whoever came looking. That colony was Roanoke, located off the coast of present-day North Carolina. John White led the expedition, funded by Sir Walter Raleigh. In total, 90 men, 17 women, and nine children made the crossing. Among them was White’s own daughter. Days after they landed, his granddaughter, Virginia Dare, became the first English child born in America. Soon after, the colonists convinced White to sail home for supplies, and he fully intended to return within months. Instead, war intervened. The Spanish Armada was bearing down on England, and Queen Elizabeth refused to release ships that might be needed for battle. White couldn’t return to Roanoke for three years. When he finally arrived in 1590, the settlement had been abandoned. The colonists had vanished without a trace, leaving behind just one mysterious clue. The word “CROATOAN” was carved into a wooden post, while the letters “CRO” had been etched into a nearby tree. White had told the colonists to carve a cross if they were in danger, but no cross was found anywhere. A storm rolled in before he could investigate further, and no European ever saw the colonists again. Historians have been searching for the answer to this mystery for centuries. The carvings they left behind led some to believe the colonists moved to nearby Croatoan Island, which is now called Hatteras Island. Others argue they moved toward the Chesapeake, as originally planned, or split apart and settled farther inland among the Tuscarora and Chowanoc. Modern archaeology has added new pieces to the puzzle. Archaeological excavations on Hatteras Island and in inland North Carolina have uncovered English pottery, a gold signet ring, and evidence of blacksmithing alongside Native American artifacts, suggesting the two cultures may have lived together. Many researchers now believe the colonists may not have vanished at all. Instead, at least some may have left Roanoke and been absorbed into the Native communities around them. Four centuries later, America’s oldest mystery may not be the tragedy most believe. It might be a story still waiting for an ending. ROANOKE’S VANISHING ACT STILL BAFFLES HISTORIANS The Colony That Disappeared
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AUTUMNAL BLACK CAT CINNAMON CORNFIELD EERIE FOLIAGE HAUNTING HORROR LATTE MARIGOLD OPAL TWILIGHT
Cider-Braised Chicken
Ingredients
• 4 slices bacon, chopped • 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 3 1/2 lbs) • 2 medium tart red apples, cored and cut into wedges • 1 12-oz bottle hard cider
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh thyme • 2 tbsp whole grain mustard • 1 tsp kosher salt • 12 oz fresh Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
Directions 1. In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp; remove from pan, reserving drippings in skillet. 2. Add chicken, skin side down, and cook 10 minutes or until browned, turning once; remove from skillet. 3. Add apples to skillet; cook 4 minutes or until browned on both sides; remove from skillet. 4. Discard drippings. 5. Add cider, thyme, mustard, and salt to skillet, scraping up any browned bits. 6. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Return chicken to skillet. Cover and simmer 10 minutes. 7. Add Brussels sprouts. Cover and cook 5 minutes. 8. Add apples and cook, uncovered, 3–5 minutes more or until chicken is at least 175 F. 9. To serve, divide chicken, Brussels sprouts, and apples among bowls or plates. Spoon cider mixture over top. Sprinkle each with bacon.
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