Stephenville is located on the west coast of the island portion of the Canadian Province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Stephenville, settled by Acadians as early as 1845, was a small village that survived on fishing and farming. During early 1940 the Americans leased land from the British government to build Stephenville Air Base, later named Ernest Harmon Field. With the closing of the American base in 1966, Stephenville was left with an airport runway 10,000 feet long, capable of handling the world's largest aircraft. Stephenville's economic position was further established in 1981 with the opening of a newsprint mill, employing over 700 persons in the mill and woods operations. Incorporated in September 1952, with a mayor and six councilors, Stephenville is today a prosperous and progressive town.