VA 17 #1: Began in January 1918 as an original state route defined by the general assembly:

Route 17: Gordonsville, Standardsville [sic], Elkton, Harrisonburg, Moscow, Deerfield, Warm Springs, Hot Springs, Covington
This is how VA 17 ran...today's US 33 west out of Gordonsville; SR 678 through Barboursville; SR 608 Stephens Loop in Quinque; US 33 Business through Stanardsville except SR 677 loop; some abandoned alignments climbing the mountain; SR 634 Tanyard Bridge Rd; SR 623 Mt Pleasant Rd; Spotswood Ave and US 33 Business through Elkton; SR 981, US 33, SR 996, SR 842, SR 655 and abandoned routing at Penn Laird; US 33 then Country Club Rd into Harrisonburg
VA 17 picked up today's VA 42 and SR 827 leaving Harrisonburg; VA 42 Business through Dayton; VA 42 through Bridgewater; SR 607/731 loop through Moscow; VA 42 to Parnassus; SR 736 west to Jennings Gap; US 250 west to West Augusta; SR 629 south through Armstrong and Green Valley to McClung; VA 39 to Warm Springs (may have used SR 630); US 220 (except Valley View Ln) to Covington, where it used Magazine Ave and Riverside St to end at VA 13-14 (now US 60).

VA 17 #1 from Covington to Gordonsville via Deerfield
1922 Auto Trails

In October 1926, VA 17 was rerouted at Millboro Springs to replace VA 142 south to Longdale (there was a 7.5 mile gap in the route around the Alleghany/Bath Line) using today's VA 42 (except SR 602 loop), then west with VA 14 to Clifton Forge (using SR 632, US 60 Bus, and SR 662 Chesnut St/Ingalls Dr, and US 60 Bus), then replacing more VA 142 south through Eagle Rock and Fincastle to end at VA 33 (now US 11) Troutville. VA 17 left Clifton Forge via River Rd then east along Jackson St (gone) to cross the Jackson River roughly where the A St bridge is now and used Verge St east to US 220 Business south to US 220, which VA 17 followed to Eagle Rock except for Commerce St/5th St/Market St in Iron Gate; SR 722 Chatham Rd; SR 622/694 Gala Loop Rd. At Eagle Rock, VA 17 followed today's VA 43 to where SR 615 used to run into it, then crossed the RR and ran between the RR and the James River to just past the current SR 870 bridge before crossing on a wooden bridge to today's SR 810 Riverside Dr back to US 220. VA 17 then followed the lengthy SR 655 from Owens through Flatwoods back to US 220. VA 17 then used SR 1204 Roanoke St through Fincastle. VA 17 then used SR 602 Muse Rd and more US 220 to Trinity. Finally, VA 17 used SR 670 southeast to end at today's US 11 in Troutville. The old route via Warm Springs to Covington became VA 338.

VA 17 crosses Jackson River near downtown Clifton Forge 1928 Official

VA 17 via Craigsville and Goshen to Covington 1924 Official

VA 17 rerouted to Clifton Forge and extended to Troutville 1926 Official

In March 1927 (CTB), the gap in VA 17 at the Alleghany/Bath line was put into the state highway system.
It appears that by 1928, VA 17 was removed from SR 687 through Craigsville.
About 1931, VA 17 was placed on modern US 33 in Quinque.
In July 1932 (CTB), VA 17 was placed on modern VA 42 through the Goshen area and also removed off of SR 616.
Around the time of the 1933 renumbering, VA 17 was put on a new James River Bridge into Eagle Rock (SR 870 location) and onto modern VA 43 north out of town.
In July 1933, VA 17 was renumbered as VA 12 from Troutville to Clifton Forge; US 60 remained from Clifton Forge to Longdale; VA 42 from Longdale to Harrisonburg; VA 4 from Harrisonburg to Gordonsville.
VA 17 #2: Appeared in July 1933 as a renumbering of VA 38 from US 1 (now SR 607) Falmouth to US 15-29 Opal.
In Oct 1940 (CTB), VA 17 was extended north with US 15-29 to Warrenton, then followed US 15 to The Plains. A second segment of VA 17 was created running from MD 17 at Brunswick, MD south to Purcellville, then after a brief duplex with VA 7, south another mile along current SR 690. This separated piece was a renumbering of the northern piece of VA 234.
In Jan 1943 (CTB), VA 17 was removed from SR 607 (now SR 1001) in Falmouth and placed on today's US 17 Business.
In April 1944 (CTB), the northern disconnected piece of VA 17 was renumbered as VA 287 from Purcellville to Brunswick MD (this is now SR 722 in Purcellville) and downgraded to SR 690 south of Purcellville.
Also in April 1944, the remaining VA 17 was rerouted at Old Tavern to instead replace VA 245 to Marshall, duplex west with VA 55 to nearly Delaplane, then replace SR 710 north to Paris, then follow US 50 to end at US 11 Winchester. The old route from Old Tavern to The Plains became current VA 245.
In March 1946 (CTB), VA 17 was removed from SR 656/805 through Bealeton and placed on current US 17.
In April 1951 (CTB), VA 17 was removed from SR 700 McWhirt Loop, SR 750 Fleet Rd, and SR 746 Peach Lawn Rd (all 3 were SR 700 at that time) in the Berea area of Stafford County; also VA 17 was removed from SR 704 Burton Loop, SR 705 Hartwood Church Rd, and SR 706 Marsh Rd in the Hartwood area. In all cases VA 17 was moved to today's US 17.
In March 1953 (CTB), VA 17 was removed from SR 813 in Goldvein and placed on current US 17.
In Jan 1957 (CTB), VA 17 was moved from SR 701 to today's US 17 at Paris.
In Jan 1959 (CTB), VA 17 was removed from Delaplane Grade Rd/Rokeby Rd horseshoe at Delaplane, plus nearby Crooked Run Rd, and place on current US 17.
In Sept 1963 (CTB), VA 17 was removed from SR 835 Morrisville Rd and SR 836 Harpers Run Rd north of Morrisville and placed on current US 17.
In March 1964 (CTB), VA 17 was removed from SR 837/663 Bowers Run Rd/Old Marsh Rd north of Bealeton and placed on current US 17.
In Oct 1964 (CTB), VA 17 was removed from SR 840 Baines Corner Rd and SR 841 Elk Marsh Rd near Bealesville and placed on today's US 17.
In 1965, VA 17 became part of US 17. Note that VA 17 used SR VA 245/SR 845 in Old Tavern and F185 north of Marshall.

VA 17 #2 1933 Official

VA 17 extended to Maryland 1941-42 Official

VA 17 rerouted to Winchester Notice VA 287 labeled erroneously as VA 278 1946 Official