Deer Lake is a town in the western part of the island of Newfoundland in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. The town derives its name from Deer Lake and is situated at the outlet of the upper Humber River at the northeastern end of the lake. History The first settlers in the area arrived from Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia in 1864. Originally loggers and trappers, the settlers later took up farming. In 1922, a work camp was set up to support the International Pulp and Paper company. The camp would later become the town of Deer Lake. A formal townsite was constructed in 1925 and included a railway terminal, churches and a small hospital. The town was incorporated in 1950 with Phil Hodder as its first mayor. The airport was built in 1955 and is one of the town's major employers. In 2004, Deer Lake Regional Airport redesigned the airport terminal, which was completed in June 2007. The primary population that the airport serves is approximately 55,000. The airport serves people from Rocky Harbour to Corner Brook, as well as around Deer Lake. Name The town was named by early settlers of the area. Caribou could be seen crossing the lake in huge quantities. The first Europeans who came to this area, having never before seen caribou called them "deer". The town was then named accordingly. Economy The town is located in Division No. 5 and is the gateway to the Great Northern Peninsula, owing to an important highway interchange on the Trans-Canada Highway. It is the closest major community to Gros Morne National Park and is home to the Deer Lake Regional Airport. A hydroelectric plant was established on the Humber River in 1925 to provide electricity to a pulp and paper paper mill in Corner Brook. Sights and tourism Deer Lake offers accommodation for tourists as well as restaurants, supermarkets, convenience stores and gas stations. There is a stadium, swimming pool and a bowling alley in the Hodder Memorial Recreational Complex. St. Paul's United Church, a wooden church dating from 1955 and the modern Salvation Army building are worth a visit. The Main Street offers a scenic view of the lake. Demographics In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Deer Lake had a population of living in of its total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of . With