Roanoke Island Festival Park

On the way out we stopped at Roanoke Island Festival Park. This was a neat park. Lots of hands on for the kids. They enjoyed the games and the Adventure Museum. Mark and I are still trying to figure out if there are any theories as to why the Roanoke colony just disappeared. There were no theories listed. The only history recorded about the disappearance that we could find was that when Sir Walter Raliegh returned to the colony, there was nothing there except the word "Croatoan" carved on a tree. He could not look for the people because of an ocean storm. That's it!

Mark practices walking on stilts and does a great job! We stopped at a tent that had all sorts of games that children played in the 1500s.

Liam set up the sticks for a game like bowling.

Demonstrating the rings that the children would play with.

Liam loved the horses to ride.

Zoe tries her hand at stiltwalking.

Zoe enjoyed dressing in 1500s garb.

Liam enjoyed dressing up too.

Trying on hats in a general store.

This is an exact replica of the Elizabeth II that sailed over with colonists. It's small! And it held 50 men on it. Amazing. The interpreters really knew their stuff and told us all about "pirating" or "privateering" as it was called back then. The English were considered privateers because Spain was in control of the New World at the time.

Looking out of a port of the ship. Ace loved being so close to the water...I just knew he was going to go for a swim. The Elizabeth II sails twice a year with a crew of 15 to 20.