America's First Cold Case: North Carolina Folklore

The lost tribe of Roanoke Island remains a mystery to this day. Governor White needed to leave to meet with his men in England for provisions. The group was ill-prepared, and they had no time to waste. But White was now a grandfather, and he needed to meet with the council in case an emergency would arise during his absence.

Recreation of Croatoan Tree on exhibit at the North Carolina Museum of HistoryPhoto byNorth Carolina Museum of History

The plan was to have a message carved into wood at the fort site in case the tribe needed to relocate. The governor added one more thing: To carve a cross above the words as a sign of danger. After three years, he finally returned, but they were all gone. White and his men looked around the area and discovered a single word carved into a tree trunk: Croatan. He would never see his tribe or family again, including his granddaughter, Virginia Dare - Born on August 18th, 1587.

Virginia, alongside many of the Roanoke settlers, was taken in by the Croatan tribe after discovering that Chief Powhatan was plotting an ambush. And there is a legend that ties into her life.

How correct is this story? Read until the end, and you be the judge.

Because Virginia had blond hair and fair skin, she stood out to the tribe. The men of the Croatan tribe marveled at Virginia’s beauty, and among the men who wanted to wed her was a medicine man named Chico. But Virginia had her eyes set on another man - A chief hunter and warrior named Wanchese.

Chico was furious. He decided if he couldn’t have her, neither could the young chief. The jealous doctor created a dark potion that required calling upon the spirits of the island as well as the power of the sea. He tricked Virginia into drinking it, and it later made her sick. Chico prayed over her with the power of the spirits as she thrashed about in pain. The next day, Virginia woke up feeling different. She was no longer human but an animal—a white doe.

Wanchese continued searching for Virginia for months but was unable to find her. However, he discovered a mysterious white doe that seemed to anticipate his every move. He began to realize over time that this deer held spiritual significance. He wanted Virginia back and was sure the white doe was the key. Wanchese just needed to find a way to catch it.

An older hunter prepared Wanchese, telling him that he needed silver-tipped arrows to stop the deer in its tracks.

Wanchese eventually found the white doe at a nearby stream, defenseless. As the deer continued drinking, he prepared one of his new arrows. Suddenly, the beast’s head stood up, causing Wanchese to hesitate momentarily. And then, he fired. When the arrow hit the white doe, the scream of a young girl rang out of its mouth. Wanchese quickly realized he had made a terrible mistake once he had approached the creature. The doe’s last words were, “I am Virginia Dare,” gasping before finally dying.

Hatteras, North Carolina, sits today where the Croatan tribe settled many centuries ago alongside the Roanoke settlers. And, in the village, a white deer has been known to appear. Those who are familiar with the tale say that the animal is the ghost of the white doe - Virginia Dare.

Written By: Izzy

Photo By: North Carolina Museum of History

Sources: Haunted North Carolina by Patty A. Wilson (Pages 5-8)

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Virginia-Dare