Virginia holds a special place in American history. In 1607, Jamestown became North America’s first permanent English settlement. George Washington led the Continental Army and became the first U.S. president. The third U.S. president, Thomas Jefferson, was the main author of the Declaration of Independence. Both were Virginians. The Revolutionary War was won in Yorktown. And that’s just what happened up to the early 1800s. Meanwhile, the commonwealth is home to Shenandoah National Park and spectacular Appalachian scenery to the west. To the east are beaches and coastal tidelands. Collectively, these five byways are some of the nation’s most prominent roads.