The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-07-06
ROANOKE ISLAND
CELEBRATION PLANS
Buildings to Be Grouped
Around "RaIeigh fort.'
A. NOTABLE ASSEMBLAGE
The Historical Exercises Will Last 80
Days or More.
CHARTER OF ROANOKE ID. CELEBRAN co.

CHAR Tx Ut RUANUkt I'D. CEltBRAN U,
There will be Many Distinguished Guests,
Among then the President of the Uni
Ted States and Governors OF
Other States.
| To the Editor: Replying publicly to
some enquiries in regard to the work of
| the committee which will meet on the
| oath of July, on Roanoke Island, TO ar
| historic events attendent upon the Sir
Walter Raleigh attempts to plant colo
MES on our shores. anG to give some rea-
sons why the buildings suggested in last
| Sundays paper should he constructed, is
the object of this short paper.
l have been requested by members Of
The permanent organization to give some
attention to the subject. especially that
phase of it which has to do with the
| comfort of the visitors; as Well as to the
|
| grounds, on the SPOT where the celebra-
| ton is to be held. In considering the
matter, naturally the first thought is III
| rected to the character OF the visitors,
who they are and whence they come. IN
| the first place, the essence, of the cCle-
bration is history; a celebration of his
toric events, and it is proposed that
| those interested in history or associated
x,,,@ III, ;a4s fnC
of America, including the Daughters of
the Revolution" the Colonial Danes
the Daughters of the Am >:ican Revo-
luton" '"The Cincinnati" Society of
Colonial Wars Sons OF the Revolu-
tion," Society of May Flower Descend
ants and all of the Historical Socie-
ties of America. will Dot only be visi-
tors, but participants. They will I'M
doubtedly be invited to take conspicuous
part in the exercises. aud to contribute
loan exhibits to the historical museum
which will be one of the attractions IN
the island during the celebration. Then
the next class of visitors will be the dis
tinguished invited guests, which will
comprise the President of the United
States and his Cabinet; the English En-
bassy and distinguished historians and
pie: the governors of this and otfeI
States, and lastly the great mass of the
good people of this ard adjacent States,
who will be drawn there to participate
in an event at once historical, novel
and intensely interesting. These, then,
are the visitors who are TO be enter
tanned. 1t promises to bring together tho
most distinguished assemblage ever wit
| messed in North Carolina. That being
true, what follows must be not only log-
callv true but essential for the uphold
ing of the reputation of the people of the
State in matters of hospitality. The eel
ebration must be planned on Inns which
will reflect credit upon our who'll, State;
for it's progress, social and intellectual
life as we'll as hospitality is involved
There is then much at stake, and unless
these conditions can be fully met, it were
better to abandon the celebration al
together. But this should not be done;
we have already suffered from laggard-
ism in all matters pertaining to our past;
others have written our history which
where not a defamation, but partially
tells the truth, so that our true status
is not known. This celebration is but g
beginning 10 right these matters and tc
inspire our youth and the coming gcner-
ations to seek and know the truth. II
is not advisable to abandon the task un-
dertaken, but on the contrary, TO bent
all effort in the direction of making thC
| celebration worthy the events wrought hy
strong hearts four hundred years since
and of the noble. true hearted. hospitabiC
people of our prosperous State now en-
joying the heritage of those brave souls
1 ha bod in hn
| 1t is proposed to hold this celebration
for thirty or more days, ard to accom-
modate the people and the exhibits, i
will be necessary to construct suitable
buildings which should be grouped abou
the old Raleigh Fort" and the sur
, 1cunding grounds Handicapped and set il
grass, shrubs and vines. The PROPOSE
5 rion then, to build an hotel of some foul
= hundred rooms, fully equipped with mod
ern corveniences; a casino. where meals
ices. ctc.. may be served the daily visi
S tors from nearby towns and country; al
S auditorium wherein may be holden tn
exercises connected with all these pa
o triotic and historic societies, the adj
dresses of the distinguished visitors an
p the MANY social functions which will en-
, liven the evenings; and museum larg
enough to hold the exhinits of all thes
societies. illustrative of the lifc of tin
period-the civilization of the colonist
en- The one side, and of the native Indian
= on the other. is deemed a matter OF ne
: cessity. Much more could be appropriate
" suggested, but these are essential
without them the celebration would onl
e be of strictly local significance and there
+ fore of but little value in promoting on
q efforts to stimulate general iesire TO
moro extensive historical research, an
thereby place the event. which this cele
. hation is designed 10 cherish, within tn