The island is currently managed by the Sakonnet Preservation Association for use as a nesting sanctuary for shorebirds.

The West Island Club opened in 1865 and primarily appealed to elite socialites for its striped bass fishing and luxury amenities.

During this time, West Island consisted of a two-story hotel and clubhouse complex.

Membership was capped at thirty individuals at any given time; notable visitors to the West Island Club include Grover Cleveland, J.P. Morgan, Cornelius Vanderbilt, Chester A. Arthur and Charles Tiffany.

The remaining structures on West Island sustained damage by arson before being mostly destroyed by the Hurricane of 1938.