John Lederer, a German doctor, was the first European to explore the mountains of Virginia. In 1669 and 1670, he made three trips through the Appalachian Mountains at the request of Virginia Governor William Berkeley. On his first and third trips, Lederer reached the top of the Blue Ridge Mountains and saw the Shenandoah Valley, but he couldn't find a way through the mountains. During his second trip, he traveled south and likely reached what is now the South Carolina border.

Lederer's travels were important because they helped start trade between Europeans and Indians in western Virginia. His map and journal, published in 1672, provided valuable information about the land, animals, and people in the region.