campus history
WV Lifeline Ambulance Services, LLC operates from a modest but historically rich headquarters located at 101 Helen Lane in the heart of Mount Hope. The property sits within a community whose story is deeply intertwined with the early industrial development of southern West Virginia and the rise of the coalfields that once powered much of the nation.
The area that would eventually become Mount Hope was originally Cherokee hunting grounds before the land was purchased by the Austin family in 1786. As settlement gradually expanded through the 19th century, the region’s vast coal resources began attracting industry and investment. Mount Hope officially incorporated in 1895 and quickly became a vital center for coal production and commerce in the surrounding region.
During the late 1800s and early 1900s, the town thrived as a hub for the New River Company, one of the most influential coal operators in the area. Railroads, company offices, and businesses filled the town, supporting a booming coal economy that brought rapid growth from the 1890s through the 1930s.
Our current headquarters building traces its origins to that era. Constructed in 1900, the structure originally served as a small coal house supporting the surrounding mining operations. Although the identities of the building’s original owners have been lost to history, the structure itself remains a physical reminder of Mount Hope’s industrial past.
One of the most defining moments in the town’s history occurred on March 24, 1910, when a devastating fire swept through Mount Hope. The blaze destroyed approximately 40 businesses and 150 homes. Despite the widespread destruction, the building that now houses WV Lifeline Ambulance Services remarkably survived the disaster. The town was quickly rebuilt, demonstrating the resilience of its residents and earning Mount Hope the nickname “The Phoenix City.”
By 1915, the New River Company had located its headquarters in Mount Hope, further solidifying the town’s role as a center for coalfield operations. For decades, the community prospered as miners, rail workers, and families built their lives around the industry. Like many coal towns, however, Mount Hope faced economic hardship during the Great Depression, and the region continued to experience decline as the coal industry contracted throughout the 1950s and 1960s.
Over the decades that followed, the property at 101 Helen Lane changed hands several times while the town gradually transitioned into the small, quiet, but historically vibrant community it remains today. In 2023, the property was purchased by the CEO of WV Lifeline Ambulance Services, marking the beginning of a new chapter for the historic structure.
In early 2025, WV Lifeline Ambulance officially moved into the building and began transforming it into the organization’s headquarters and operations center. On May 13, 2025, the agency became fully licensed and operational. Today, WV Lifeline Ambulance Services operates a growing fleet of five ambulances and primarily provides non-emergent medical transportation services to patients throughout Fayette, Raleigh, and Nicholas counties, while also supporting medical transport needs across southern West Virginia and beyond.
While the building has served many purposes over the past century, its role today reflects a renewed commitment to serving the community. What once supported the region’s coal industry now supports the healthcare access of the people who call these mountains home.
As WV Lifeline Ambulance Services continues to grow, plans are underway to further develop the surrounding campus to accommodate additional crew members, expand service capabilities, and improve operational capacity. Throughout this growth, the organization remains committed to preserving the historical character of its first facility—honoring the legacy of Mount Hope while building a future centered on its mission of Mobilizing Accessibility.