Although the area has been inhabited since the
Middle Ages, Skopun was not founded until 1833. The people of Skopun did not possess any land. They subsisted on fishing, so the houses were built close to the water. In 1897, Skopun's church was constructed out of timber taken from the old church of
Vestmanna. The Faroe Islands' first road was built on Sandoy in 1917, as part of a government-financed plan to improve the island's non-existent harbour facilities. It connects Skopun with
Sandur, the island's main town. Skopun's harbour was built in 1926 and later extended. In 1982, the harbour was furnished with a gate which protects the dock from the sea. A 1988 hurricane destroyed the town's small wood. Until December 2023, Skopun was the ferry port for the route to
Gamlarætt on
Streymoy, occasionally via
Hestur. This service ceased to operate after the
Sandoyartunnilin opened for general traffic. ==Name==