Whilst the town of Gros Islet is an important administrative centre, Rodney Bay is the main financial center of the district.

The Arawak and Carib artifacts found in Gros Islet District date back to around 1000 A.D.[3] The pirate François Le Clerc, nicknamed Jambe de Bois because of his wooden leg, used Pigeon Island as a base to attack Spanish ships in the 1550s.

[4][5] Because of the good anchorage at Gros Islet harbor, early French and British sailing ships often anchored at this port city.

[9] The Rodney Bay area further south differs greatly from the small, makeshift housing littering most of the town of Gros Islet.

Catering mostly to the tourism populace, the areas surrounding the marina contain shops, malls, restaurants and night clubs that fall on the higher end of the spectrum compared to other local enterprises.