Lost Colony buildings destroyed in fire...Villa Dunes citizen saves Waterside Theatre!
(Manteo, NC – September 11, 2007) On 11 September 2007 at 12:35 A.M., a resident of Villa Dunes spotted a fire across the sound on Roanoke Island, and called 911. Part of The Lost Colony’s Waterside Theatre was in flames. All fire departments north of Oregon Inlet responded.

Fire crews worked swiftly and efficiently to control the blaze, and take necessary precautions to save the nearby men’s dressing room structure. In spite of their efforts, the maintenance shed, which appears to have been at or near the source of the fire was completely destroyed. Charred pieces of framing in a flimsy skeleton, pointing irregularly toward the star-lighted sky, appear to be all that remains of what was the Irene Rains Costume Shop. All of the show costumes, all of the historic costumes, all of the fabrics, all of the shoes and hats are traditionally stored in the costume shop. All are lost—except the court costumes which fortunately are still at the dry cleaners, and a few that have already been delivered to the NC Museum of History for the Lost Colony exhibition scheduled to open in October.