Book excerpt: The long tradition of architecture in Virginia begins with the earliest structures at the Jamestown settlement in 1607, and continues today with some of the most advanced buildings yet completed anywhere. In its legendary landmarks -- Mount Vernon, Monticello, the Virginia Capitol building in Richmond, the James River plantation mansions, the Reynolds Metals headquarters building in Richmond, Washington National Airport, and Dulles International Airport -- as well as in homes, churches, stores, and office buildings across the state, Virginia's architecture is a mirror of the many expressions of America's built environments. This book invites the readers on a journey through the eye and mind of the architect, from the very drawings that give shape and form to the idea, through the tracks and traces found in long lost letters, office records, and other primary sources. You will never see the buildings around you, anywhere, in the same way again. -- From publisher's description.