John Lederer, a German doctor, was the first European to explore Virginia’s mountains. At Governor William Berkeley’s request, he made three trips in 1669–1670. He reached the Blue Ridge Mountains and saw the Shenandoah Valley but couldn't cross the range. On his second trip, he likely reached near today’s South Carolina border.

Lederer’s journeys helped spark trade with Indians in western Virginia, and his 1672 map and journal offered key insights into the region’s land, wildlife, and people.