West Virginia ACLS Certification and Recertification

WEST VIRGINIA ACLS CERTIFICATION AND RECERTIFICATION

About West Virginia

West Virginia became the 35th state in 1863. The state capitol of West Virginia is Charleston with a population of 51,176 people (2005 Census). Charleston is also the largest city in the state, with the second largest being Huntington with 49,198 people (2005 Census). The total population of West Virginia is 1,852,994 people (2010 Census). West Virginia is comprised of 24,077 square miles of hilly and mountainous areas over most of the state with plateaus in the west. The state flower is the rhododendron. The state bird is the cardinal.

West Virginia’s history is closely related to Virginia’s because of their ties during the settlement days. From the early history in 1609 until Virginia separated from West Virginia in 1861, the two states share most of their history. Morgan Morgan established the first settlement in 1731 at Mill Creek, which is now Berkeley County. 1742 brought the discovery of coal in West Virginia, which would become a very prominent source of income for the state over the years. Industrialization began in the 1870’s with European immigrants and African American’s flooding into the region. Mining and forestry industries were very prominent, and in 1912 and 1921, miners went on strike in a rash of violence requiring the government to step in. Over time, mining has remained a prominent industry in West Virginia.

There is a plethora of mining towns in the mountains where the men are away for weeks, even months, mining, and the women are left to support the family and the towns. Coal production today in West Virginia accounts for around 15 percent of the total produced in the United States. The heavily forested and rugged terrain in West Virginia has also spawned a great deal of tourism over the years. Over 1 million acres have been established as 37 different state parks, recreation areas, state forests, national forests, etc.

One of the most iconic sites is the New River Gorge Bridge, which is the largest steel arch bridge in the United States (at one time, the world), and offers an unparalled view of the river and scenery below and around. The bridge is situated almost 900 feet above the river, and stretches 3030 feet long. There are various trails down to the bridge level with observation decks, and even special events where visitors can walk out on the catwalk under the arch. Prominent historical figures and famous people from West Virginia include Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson, Don Knotts, Mary Lou Retton, Lewis Strauss, Chuck Yeager, and others.