West Bay and West Bay Centre: Believed to have been settled in the 1870s on, West Bay was a mixture of French, English and Mi'kmaq families. John Le Prieur from St. Pierre is recorded as being the first settler.

The fishing and lumbering industries were the primary employers.

Like several communities in the area, West Bay and West Bay Centre prospered after the opening of the US Airforce base in Stephenville; and as expected the population dropped after it closed.
The most recent census, in 2016 showed that there were 235, down from 275 in 2011 (13.9% decrease).

Used with permission from "Uncovering the Origin of 1001 Unique Place Names in Newfoundland and Labrador" 2021 Jennifer Leigh Hill

Address of this page: http://nl.ruralroutes.com/WestBayNL