Ludlow, in the upper Black River valley, has the notoriety of being the only town located at the base of a ski resort in the east.

But such a reality was far from the mind of New Hampshire Royal Gov. Benning Wentworth when he chartered the town of Ludlow on Sept. 16, 1761. It took until 1783-84 for the first settlers to arrive and plant their crops in the rich valley soils north of the present town. These settlers access their lands via the Crown Point Military Road that had been hacked out of the wilderness to connect the English fort at Crown Point on Lake Champlain and Fort No. 4 in present day Charlestown, N.H. The road proved an excellent avenue for settlement.

The residents held their first town meeting in 1792 and promptly decided to make their town smaller. They voted to allow 11,739 acres on the west side of Ludlow Mountain (now Okemo) to become part of a new town, Mount Holly. With the mountain cutting the town nearly in two, this move made sense, as the topography limited communication. Ludlow now contains 13,221 acres, making it one of the smaller towns in Vermont.

The first settlers earned their income through agriculture, but the water power available from the Black River and its tributaries slowly made Ludlow an industrial center. Ebenezer Gilbert opened a sawmill in 1790 and followed it with a gristmill a year later. Woolen mills made the greatest impact in town. The first mill opened in 1832, but suffered through financial difficulties. A second, the Green Mountain Woolen Manufacturing Co. commenced operation two years later, successfully running until its building burned in January 1865. The company promptly rebuilt and continued to manufacture high quality woolens. From 1951 to 1976, the General Electric Co. operated in this facility until a damaging flood prompted its move and its 500 jobs to Rutland. The mill structure still stands in the center of town, a landmark to the industrial heritage in town. To supplement the volume of the Black River, mill owners placed a dam on Lake Rescue increasing its size by one-third.

Ludlow changed dramatically with the opening of the railroad in 1849. The Green Mountain Turnpike (present Route 103) had provided better access than the old Crown Point Road, but the railroad was different. Tracks connected Rutland to Bellows Falls and points south and east. Transportation costs decreased and Ludlow products such as wool, dairy products and lumber moved easily out of state. Hotels opened in town to manage the passenger traffic and the increasing number of tourists who visited this central point along the route.

Though the first school started in town in 1801, the Black River Academy established a fine reputation in town when it opened in 1835. A co-ed institution maintained by the Baptists, a number of students from Ludlow and outlying towns received a fine education within its walls. The first building burned in 1844 and the school met for the next 44 years in the old Union church. A new structure was raised in 1888 and the Academy continued to operate until 1938 before a public high school replaced it. The beautiful building still stands and is now home to the Black River Academy Museum. It holds a number of exhibits about Ludlow's history. Calvin Coolidge, graduated from the school in 1890 and remains its most famous alumnus.

Today much of Ludlow's activity centers around the Okemo Mountain Resort. Okemo State Forest covers most of the mountain and the Native American name has nearly displaced the old name of Ludlow Mountain. Though the Civilian Conservation Corps had opened a road to the mountain's 3,343-foot summit and cut trails for hiking and skiing, organized skiing operations did not start until 1956. State officials thought the mountain perfect to the growing sport, as Ludlow was located in a snow belt. Even in 1935, Vermont believed Okemo could provide the "Best Ski Ground in New England." In fact, the town referred to itself as "Snow Town" for its prestigious snowfalls. The first two Poma lifts commenced operation Jan. 31 and skiers made their way through an untypical 4 inches of snow on the trails.

The area expanded slowly and fell on hard times in the 1970s. In 1982, Tim and Diane Mueller purchased the struggling resort and, since that time, Okemo has transformed the region. Today, 18 lifts carry skiers toward the summit and they can ski down 117 trails that cover 624 acres of terrain for people of all abilities. The area offers 97 percent snowmaking and has expanded into meeting the needs of snowboarders and cross-country skiers. Okemo is a year-round destination resort for thousands of visitors. Many of the town's businesses cater to the needs of the resort's visitors.

Ludlow has within its boundaries a beautiful natural feature in the form of Buttermilk Falls. Located on the West Branch, the waters cascade over three falls with a total drop of 35 feet stretched over 100 yards. The Vermont Department of Forests and Parks now manages the property.

Ludlow - from farm to industry to year-round recreation center.