West Saint Paul is a city in Dakota County, Minnesota, immediately south of the city of Saint Paul, Minnesota. The quirky naming in part comes from the fact that the city is on the "west" bank of the Mississippi River—the river flows toward the east at this point. A previous City of West St. Paul incorporated in the late 1800s and was situated in what is now called the Lower West Side of St. Paul. That city went bankrupt in the 1880s. The current City of West St. Paul split from the western half of South St. Paul, (thus the name West St. Paul was reused) and was incorporated in 1889, just south of the city of St. Paul. The population was 19,405 at the 2000 census. West Saint Paul is known for its 2.5 mile retail strip along Robert Street. The city is pursuing a sister city relationship with West Saint Paul, MB (Canada).